Dynamic Equilibrium
by Grey-X
Summary: Crossover with Felarya, set between seasons 6 and 7. A string of unexplainable murders has plagued the city of Negav, and then the body of a fairy is found in the Tolmeshal Forest, killed under similar circumstances. With things spiraling out of control, Jora Fenderen collects on a debt, and calls on the one person she knows can solve these murders: Dr. Temperance Brennan!
1. The Predators in Peril

Dynamic Equilibrium

a Bones/Felarya crossover

Chapter 1: The Predators in Peril

1-17-2013

by Greyman

Disclaimer: Bones and all related characters are the property of 20th Century Fox. Felarya is the creation and property of Karbo, and all associated characters are the property of their respective creators.

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Jora Fenderen shifted in her seat, her impatience growing. She doubted anyone from Folandor Laboratories wanted to be here today, sitting in a stuffy auditorium at the University of Cologne. She glanced over at her co-worker Susan, her body language subtly betraying the same impatience. Jora began fiddling with the nametag attached to her white lab coat, underneath which she wore her usual green top and skirt. After absentmindedly running a hand through her blond hair and tossing back her ponytail, Jora noticed her supervisor, Professor Toramen, had returned, retaking his seat next to her.

Normally, Jora was good at keeping a lid on her emotions. A necessary skill, if she hoped to advance up the ladder at Folandor Laboratories, one of the biggest private research firms in Germany. Currently, she only worked there in an assistant capacity. But after waiting a considerable length of time for their 'mystery speaker', Jora's patience was wearing thin. "Professor, how long are we supposed to wait for this 'expert speaker' of yours?" she demanded. "Most of the speakers so far…none of them work in the fields Folandor Laboratories specializes in. How will this last one help us with our current research?"

"Patience, Jora, patience," said Professor Toramen in a telltale voice. A man in his mid-fifties, he exuded a mix of sternness and savvy. "Help with our current research? Hardly. Help with a special, yet-to-be-announced endeavor? Most certainly."

Jora was about to push the issue further, but the lighting changed a little, to better illuminate whoever was stepping out on stage. Sighing, Jora turned to see who it was.

At first, Jora wasn't too impressed. A brown-haired woman of average height strode onto the stage and took her place, while several assistants wheeled out exhibits. Craning her neck to get a better look, Jora saw what looked like centuries-old remains of people from long-dead civilizations. "I don't believe this…our next batch of research deals with archaeology?" Jora moaned in disbelief.

"No, we don't need an archaeologist," said the professor matter-of-factly. "However, perhaps some pointers from an anthropologist, specifically a forensic anthropologist, may elucidate a few things…."

Sighing in annoyance, Jora just sat there as the woman on stage began to speak. "Thank you for having me on as a guest-speaker today. My name is Dr. Temperance Brennan, and I work at the Jeffersonian Institute in the United States. I've been asked by the anthropology staff here at the University of Cologne to discuss recent advances in forensic research made at the Jeffersonian, in regards to using them to further our understanding of ancient Germanic tribes…."

Despite herself, Jora now found herself intrigued. A good deal had to do with the speaker herself. This Jeffersonian Institute was in the United States, and Jora always heard of how Americans tended to be self-absorbed, and hardly any of them learned a language other than their own. Yet here was this Dr. Temperance Brennan, speaking in perfect German. Though she sounded a little haughty, Jora had to listen really closely for any flaws in Brennan's grasp of German.

But, truth be told, Jora found herself more interested in Brennan's discussion about these long-dead tribesman yielding clues to the past. The way they lived, spoke, and even died, all from things such as analyses of bone minerals to subtle wearing in joints unaccounted for by the ravages of time. Jora was enthralled with hearing how these techniques helped the University of Cologne add to their knowledge of the past. And Dr. Brennan, despite her matter-of-fact delivery and use of advanced scientific terminology…Jora had no trouble following. In her own way, Dr. Brennan was a master storyteller, in a class all her own. Tales such as how these ancient Germanic tribes made the land their own, hunted…a far cry from the lazy, comfortable lifestyle Jora enjoyed now, she was forced to admit. She briefly wondered how she would do, if thrown into such a world….

Whereas before time passed at a glacial pace, now it passed too quickly, and the presentation was over. Dr. Brennan once again thanked the audience and the University of Cologne for their time, and walked off the stage. As everyone else began to lazily rise from their seats, Jora sprang up. "Jora, what are you…" Susan began, but Jora didn't stick around to listen. She wasn't sure why, but Jora wanted to go and talk to this Dr, Brennan, ask her more questions about her line of work. Jora wasn't sure how any of this was supposed to help Folandor Laboratories, but she wanted to know more all the same.

Jora tailed Brennan outside, only losing sight of her when she rounded a corner, probably heading for a parked rental car. Jora was ready to keep going, but suddenly, low mutters made her stop in her tracks. From seemingly out of nowhere, three men stepped out. They were Latin American from the looks of it, and heading to wherever Brennan was now. In the gloom of the night and the dim lighting in the parking lot, these men failed to spot Jora, despite her white lab coat, obviously intent on approaching Brennan. And judging by their dour faces, the murderous gleam in their eyes…forensic anthropology was not on their minds.

Her first thought was that she had to help Dr. Brennan, to warn her. With a courage that surprised her, Jora took a step forward. But due to the damp pavement, and her own insufferable clumsiness, Jora slipped and staggered forward, toppling over the man furthest behind.

Jora then heard Dr. Brennan let out a yelp of surprise, which was followed by the other two men firing off something in Spanish. Still a tangle of limbs with the third guy, Jora looked up. Those other two were closing in on Brennan, now that Jora gave them away. But in an eyeblink, she downed one with a quick chop to his clavicle, then charged the other. It was dark and hard to see, but Jora saw Brennan grappling with him for a moment, until Brennan raked her foot all the way down his lower leg and stomped his foot. A quick blow to his gut finally toppled him as well.

Having been so engrossed with the fight, Jora almost forgot about the third man, who had untangled himself and hoisted Jora to her feet. Amazement turned to panic as Jora felt a gun barrel press against her temple. The man spluttered something else in Spanish, but when he waved the gun at Dr. Brennan, she fired her own gun, possibly wrested from the second man to go down. One shot to his kneecap had him howling in agony. Jora shoved him away, and a brisk charge from Brennan knocked him on his back, screaming.

Jora and Brennan stared at each other for a moment, the former at a loss for words. Not only was this supposedly the best forensic anthropologist in the world, she could obviously handle herself in a fight. "Dr. Brennan, what...who were these men…."

"I'm not one to make guesses without hard evidence, but I suspect these were hired thugs who traveled all the way from El Salvador," said Brennan coolly, not what Jora expected from someone just accosted by armed men. "During my time there, I…did not endear myself to many in power there. My speaking at this event must have been seen as an opportunity to capture me while away from the Jeffersonian." With that, Brennan pushed past Jora and knelt beside the man she shot. Quickly, she ripped off his bloodied pant leg and used it for a tourniquet. "Here, put pressure on this," she instructed, placing the man's hand on the gunshot wound, ignoring his cries of pain.

Drawn by the gunshot, security soon swarmed the parking lot, and the three men were taken into custody. After giving their statements, Jora ignored the crowd that had gathered and turned to Brennan. "Dr. Brennan, I-I'm sorry, I-I-I just was so impressed with your presentation, and I wanted to know more, a-a-and…"

"Your being apologetic is completely irrational, Ms….?" Brennan began.

"Jora, Jora Fenderen," answered Jora.

"Well, Ms. Fenderen, you shouldn't be apologizing to me, I should be thanking you," said Brennan. "If these men were working for people I aggravated back in El Salvador, I might have been on my way back there, and this time I doubt anyone would've sprung me from their prison. If you hadn't tripped over that one man, I wouldn't have had warning. I probably owe you my life."

Jora looked into Brennan's hazel eyes, oddly cold. It was offputting, how Brennan spoke of a barely-averted kidnapping with such detachment. "Well, you're welcome, I guess. Nice to know my clumsiness helped someone for once," said Jora sheepishly.

"I'm forced to agree. Given your short height, apparent lack of any skill in martial arts, and slightly unhealthy diet and lifestyle, I doubt you would have very effective in a fight with one of these men, let alone all three," said Brennan matter-of-factly, eyeing the slight bulge around Jora's midsection.

Jora grumbled a little, amazed at how blunt this anthropologist could be. Still, Jora let it roll of her back, and they talked for a while longer. Jora then heard of another one of Brennan's recent misadventures back home in America. A judge she proved murdered a poor girl after slamming her head with the trunk door of a car, just from an ear bone, and determined motive just from the way he scratched his nose. Brennan was cold, aloof, and did not hesitate to point out Jora's deficiencies in her knowledge of forensics when she offered her own insight, but there was no denying Brennan's genius. No wonder Professor Toramen thought Dr. Brennan's insight could help with the upcoming research, whatever it was.

When Jora told her this, Brennan just gave her an aloof shrug. "I suppose that it would be an appropriate means of repaying you, if I can help your company's research in any way," said Brennan. "My flight back to America is leaving in a few hours, but you know where to contact me. If you ever need a forensic anthropologist for your work, don't hesitate to call the Jeffersonian. I owe you, Ms. Fenderen."

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Felarya. A strange and dangerous place, known to be a dimension unto itself, wedged in between other worlds, other universes. A fantastical realm with a long and mysterious history, it frequently draws human travelers from across the known universes, those who seek knowledge, riches or the thrill of dangerous adventure.

And more often than not, such travelers get far more of that last one than they ever bargained for. There are mountainous regions, a sizeable desert and a frozen waste, but most of Felarya is a deep, untamed jungle. Massive stretches of sunlight-blotting trees, reaching hundreds of feet high, hiding untold dangers. One's place in the Felaryan food chain is neither certain nor secure, but most often, size is the deciding factor, and those who lack it often fall prey to those who don't.

However, today, in a remote, forested area just south of a particular tree, one so huge entire towns could be built on its branches, an exception to this rule of thumb was about to play out. But for the human explorers currently on the run, their chances did not look good.

Several of the humans had their guns drawn. They anxiously aimed up as they ran underneath thick foliage, despite knowing such weapons would do little good against what was hunting them….

As the group tepidly stepped out from under the huge bush they had hoped concealed them, something impossibly huge dropped down a few feet in front of them. Most were knocked off their feet. After getting over the shock, they fearfully looked up, at what should have been a creature only seen in legend. A behemoth towering over a hundred feet tall, with the torso of a woman, but the wings and legs of a bird of prey. A harpy. A gigantic harpy with an appetite for human-sized prey, this particular one with shoulder pauldrons and short, purple hair. Like most Felaryan predators, this harpy wore little else, but the men were too fearful to appreciate the larger-than-life display looming over them.

The harpy licked her lips, her mouth watering, and the group opened fire. One had a grenade launcher, which reached the harpy's face, but all it did was stun her, and the bullets bounced off her thick skin. But then, the sounds of other harpies landing drowned out the gunfire. The group was surrounded, eyed by ravenous man-eaters eager for the spoils of their chase.

"I do so love it when you little maggot-guzzlers put up some pathetic excuse for resistance. Makes snacktime all the more satisfying for me and this flock of old mold-ridden feather-dusters," said the purple-haired harpy. Instead of annoyed grunts, her rambling drew chuckles from the other harpies. Speech between members of their species was literally nothing but insults and curses. "But enough's enough. I get first dibs, my little morsels!"

Belletia knelt down and opened her mouth. As a rock harpy, she was able to use wind magic and suck up cornered prey like a giant vacuum cleaner. However, before Belletia could begin, she noticed something odd. Suddenly, a thick, turbid mist crept along the ground and over the humans, hiding them from view. "A little cloud cover ain't gonna do much good, morsels," spat Belletia, but then she realized how cold it was all of a sudden. None of these humans looked to be skilled spellcasters. Something else was going on, and judging by how the other harpies were nervously looking around, they felt the same way.

Then something happened to the harpy nearest Belletia. From out of nowhere, something shot out and stung her in the neck. Whatever it was, it was tiny (to a giant harpy, anyway), and definitely wasn't fired by any of their would-be meals. Her eyes widened in horror, and suddenly turned orange and glassy as she faced Belletia. She toppled over, her fall blowing away some of the low-hanging mist, an orange foam now issuing from her mouth.

With the mist blown away, Belletia saw their humans had slipped away again. But that was now the farthest from Belletia's mind. Another one of those whatevers shot out, striking down another fellow harpy. And then another, from another hidden location. They toppled, spewing orangish foam like the first. Belletia dared to look down to inspect the first one's neck. Some sort of little dart, which pumped something noxious into her.

The screams of a fourth harpy going down snapped Belletia to attention. "Don't just peacock around, you worthless featherdusters! Take off, get the hell away from whoever's shootin' at us!" she commanded. Belletia and the two remaining harpies furiously beat their huge wings, and darted back through the Tolmeshal Forest with speed that belied their titanic size. But soon after taking flight, Belletia heard more screams. Looking back, she saw her remaining two harpies had collapsed into the branches of trees.

She was too far away to see if they were spurting orange foam, and Belletia didn't dare go back to check. It wasn't often that fear took hold of Belletia, or any other Felaryan predator so high on the food chain. But now, Belletia was spurred on by fear, driven to fly faster and swifter, to put as much distance between her and whatever was shooting those darts.

"Startin' to think those damn little morsels lured us all into some sort of trap," grumbled Belletia. "Well, them wiggly little snacks can't follow me this far…right?" Not quite convinced, Belletia spared a quick glanced back as she darted around a tree. Unfortunately, this tree had a low-hanging branch on the other side, and Belletia crashed through it.

Belletia let out a string of unprintable curses as she bounced along the forest floor, eventually coming to a painful halt. She rose to a squatting position, lightly flapping her wings to shake out the dirt and leaves. It was then that she noticed she was not alone. Thankfully, it wasn't someone meal-sized anxious to shoot back. Belletia saw the dainty feet of someone her size, and slowly looked up.

It was a fairy. Fairies were a predator unique to Felarya, able to alter their size at will with their magic, this one at her maximum size. Her crystalline wings fluttered gently, and her long, blue hair swayed in a light breeze.

Thankfully, it wasn't that cold mist from before. Still, some instinct was telling Belletia she hadn't outflown the danger, and all Felaryan predators knew to fall back on their instincts. And if this fairy had any brains, she'd fly away too. Scrambling to her feet, Belletia eyed the fairy and said, "Listen, you seaweed-headed glitterbug, something weird is goin' on this part of Tolmeshal Forest. Something that took down the rest of my sorry excuse for a hunting party," Belletia got out quickly. "Flap them pretty little wings of yours, you ditzy little dingleberry, and let's move!"

"I know. I know there's something that goes against Felarya's natural order here in these parts," said the fairy in a soft voice, almost sounding regretful. But Belletia didn't have time to dwell on it, not before she felt a sharp prick in her belly. "And I'm sorry."

Looking down in shock, Belletia saw that the fairy had just stuck her with a dart just like the ones fired at her hunting partners. Her vision began to blur as she toppled forward. The fairy idly stepped back and let Belletia hit the ground. Belletia caught one last glimpse of the fairy as she looked up, just as she smelled and heard dozens of potential prey move in around her, surrounding her. She thought she saw a little regret in the fairy's eyes, too, just before consciousness slipped away.

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SEVERAL MONTHS LATER….

Jora lay in the bed, her eyes darting about underneath closed eyelids. Fleeting visions and memories of a past life, one she knew she had left behind forever, flitted in and out of her troubled dreams. Reminders of an easier life, in some ways less complicated…but in some ways moreso. Memories of those left behind clashed with faces of those close to her now, but one stood out in particular…someone who owed a debt yet to be repaid….

At last, Jora's eyes fluttered open, but memory didn't return as swiftly as sight. For a moment, Jora couldn't remember where she had been, or where she even was now. As the haze faded, Jora was dimly aware of a thatched roof over her head, which could only mean one thing. The point was further driven home when a certain dark-skinned, black-haired, mischievous catgirl climbed over her face, peering into her open eye. "Wakey wakey, princess," she teased.

Calina's sudden appearance startled Jora, and she instinctively swatted the neko away. But with the swiftness characteristic of her kind, Calina deftly jumped off Jora's face and over her hand. Calina soared off the bed Jora lay on, gracefully touching down on the floor several dozen feet below.

"Guarding the Alsumi is one thing, but I need to have a talk with Milly about babysitting giantesses liable to squash me while half-asleep," Calina quipped from the hut's floor. Jora ignored Calina, grumbling as she sat up, her head aching. She had no idea how she wound up in the home of the fellow giantess, Milly. It brought back…awkward memories of her arrival in Felarya. One minute she was running an algorithm, hoping to crack the mystery of that artifact Folandor Laboratories was researching. And the next, she found herself transported to this bizarre wild world…but transformed, now a giantess towering over a hundred feet tall, forced to quickly adapt or perish.

Still groggy, she looked down to Calina. She wore a pair of denim cut-offs and a yellow bikini top. Calina's cat ears twitched a little as her eyes fell on the neko. "Just…how did I get here? I…can't remember a thing."

"Well, from what Yemic told me, he and Milly found you passed out in the middle of Tolmeshal Forest, while en route to Safe Harbor to drop off Isham. Milly went ahead, while Yemic brought you back here, and left me to look over you until you woke up," said Calina.

Jora racked her brain, trying to remember what she was doing out in Tolmeshal Forest…besides hunting again and doing a terrible job of it. She slowly recalled being on her way to Safe Harbor as well, to pick up Tanny, the giantess girl she adopted. But there was something else. Slowly, it came back to her: a double-decker bus from England, mysteriously transported to Felarya. Jora had resolved to take it, and its passengers, to Safe Harbor.

Any other Felaryan predator would likely have had a feast right then and there. But Jora had an ironclad rule: never eat a human who arrived in Felarya by accident. Being forced to adapt to life as a giantess in Felarya meant having to accept her place in its food chain. At first, Jora resisted, the thought of swallowing humans whole disgusting her. But her trouble with hunting other animals, and the urging of fellow predators who befriended her, had Jora reluctantly go down this path. It was something she tried to not dwell on. Many humans she knew here, like Milly's human friend Isham, made no effort to hide their disdain for her. But they had no idea what she had to go through, to adjust, just to survive….

As Jora recalled the bus full of humans, her eyes widened in fear. "Calina, there was a bus full of humans. What happened to it? Did…."

"Milly and Yemic help themselves? Nah. They figured you were bringing it to Safe Harbor, so Milly finished the job for you," said Calina sweetly, a subtle, mocking inflection in her voice.

Jora raised an eyebrow. "Say what you will, but I was rescuing those humans of my own free will. Unlike, say, how a certain neko is protecting a tribe of tomthumbs because of a deal struck with Milly."

Calina smiled. "Touché."

"And…how did I fall unconscious in the first place?" Jora pressed on. "A tonorion attack? Blindsided by a harpy?" Jora shuddered as she considered another possibility. "Malika?"

"From what Yemic tells me, it looks like you tripped on a root and smacked your head on a rock. Graceful as ever, our Jora," Calina replied with a twisted, teasing smile. Jora glowered at Calina, but the neko was still unfazed. "By the way, in your sleep, you kept muttering something. I think I heard the word 'doctor' more than once. Care to tell me what that was all about? You couldn't've hit your head THAT bad," asked Calina.

Jora shut her eyes. Thinking back to her old life was not something she relished. She had long since accepted she could never return to Germany as a normal human being, and just tried to make the best of life here in Felarya. Besides, the debt Dr. Temperance Brennan owed her…what good would it do here, now? "It's nothing, Calina. Just someone I met before well…you know."

"She must've made an impression," said Calina dryly. "Anyway, Yemic said you're free to help yourself to anything in Milly's garden once you woke up."

Jora's frown deepened. "Oh please, I'm not so desperate for food I'll mooch from…." But Jora was interrupted by the grumbling of her stomach.

Calina smirked again. "I heard the trulps and stam roots are coming into season," she beamed up at Jora. Jora just sighed in annoyance as she stood up and lumbered out of the hut.

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Jora showed mercy to a busload of hapless humans, but most other predators in Felarya have no such scruples. But there is one in particular whose name is synonymous with doom, with a reputation for voraciousness that makes nekos and humans shudder. And some distance north of Milly's hut, a group of treasure hunters were about to find out why.

Thinking they lost their pursuer, the four treasure hunters ran out from the cover of a large bush. They made a beeline for a large log that bridged the gap between a stream otherwise impassable for humans. Given that the sun was still shining overhead, running out in the open was a huge blunder. When they were halfway across, what looked like a giant snake's tail came crashing down, snapping the log in half. Three of the hunters were catapulted forward, while one shot straight up. When he came back down, he fell into his pursuer's open maw.

There, with a height of 103 feet from head to ground, was Crisis. From the waist down, her body was that of a snake's, with teal scales, covered with patterns of sly-blue rings, and a yellow underbelly. Her long, blond hair flowed in the breeze, and her blue eyes twinkled mischievously. Except for a giant pouch fastened around her waist, Crisis wore nothing, as was the case with most Felaryan predators. Though she was sixty years old, Crisis was known to have the playful demeanor of a kid, and giggled devilishly right before her prey slid down her gullet.

After taking a moment to savor her meal, Crisis took off after the remaining humans. Most would assume that a giant snake was incapable of breakneck speed…and it's often the last misjudgment visitors to Felarya make. Before they could duck into a crevasse beneath a large tree, Crisis's tail shot forward, snatching up two more. It wasn't long before they joined their companion in her belly.

Still hungry, and still feeling playful, Crisis sauntered over to the tree the last human disappeared under. She reached into the hole and eventually felt out her last morsel. He struggled uselessly as Crisis's fingers wrapped around him and pulled him out. "Wait wait, hold on!" he pleaded. "You gotta…actually, it's a good thing you ate those other guys!"

"Oh, is that so?" Crisis asked with mock curiosity. She had a feeling she knew where this was going.

"Yeah yeah, now the treasure won't have to be split four ways when I find it," said the treasure hunter. "I should be real close now. If you let me go, I can track it down, and then we'll share the booty! What do you think?"

"Nice plan!" Crisis beamed, smiling at her captive.

"Wonderful! So, are you going to release me now?" he asked hopefully.

"Well, no," said Crisis, right before tossing him into his mouth. Another thing Crisis was known for: playing along with their final pleas.

Crisis savored his taste for a moment, sloshing him around in her mouth, before finally swallowing, satisfied with the spoils of another successful hunt. She turned and started to slither back to the Giant Tree.

Most observers unfamiliar with Felarya would view Crisis as nothing short of a monster. How could anyone but a raving psychopath enjoy eating another sapient being?

Unfortunately, there was no clear-cut answer for that. Felarya had always been a world governed by the law of the jungle. Such a lifestyle was all that most of its larger inhabitants had ever known. Crisis spared such philosophical quandaries little thought, anyway. Hers was a carefree life, her days filled with the simple joys of hunting and exploring the wonders of Felarya.

Unbeknownst to Crisis, those days were swiftly coming to an end.

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After taking a long drag from her cigarette, Anna Demorah looked back down at the innards of the base's busted oscilloscope. Much of their communications equipment was either in disrepair or in need of fine-tuning, and before Anna could get to work on any of that, she needed a functional oscilloscope. The pink-haired Deluran scout took another drag to steady her nerves, grabbed her tools, and got to work.

Scarcely after beginning, Anna jumped with a squeal, feeling a heavy hand clasp on her shoulder. "Still trying to get that oscilloscope working, I see," came the gravelly voice of her unit leader. Anna slowly turned to see General Garrardo, who had personally requested she be placed under his command. The general had been here as long as anyone could remember, since the very first time the Delurah government sanctioned an expedition into Felarya.

A long trail of burn marks traveling down the right side of Garrardo's face, and the deep scars marring his left temple and left side of his neck – all things the healing power of Felarya's soil did nothing about – were unsightly testaments to the general's long tenure in this world. They marred what was otherwise a handsome face, despite Garrardo's age. Round and stern, his red hair styled with little more than a buzzcut, Anna came to regard him as a bit of a father figure.

Still, it was unnerving, how such a big man (over a foot taller than her) moved so stealthily. Just like a certain blond naga whose name her comrades never dared speak…those who hadn't landed in her belly. "Yes, sir," Anna said quickly. "Due to a lot of quirks with our long-range communication equipment, maintaining contact with personnel far from the base is spotty at best, and make tracking Crisis's movements difficult. We're losing far too many personnel these days, especially to that one damn naga." Anna thought she saw the general jump from the venom in her voice, so she took another drag to calm herself.

"Regardless, it bothers me that every moment of your off-duty hours is spent slaving over our hardware. No amount of nicotine will help if you overwork yourself," said the general gravely.

"I wouldn't have to if the higher-ups would send some more qualified personnel to help me with this, instead of a constant stream of know-nothing meatbags for the grinder," spat Anna. She immediately regretted her outburst. Even here in Felarya, it was dangerous to be openly critical of Delurah's military regime…and the oligarchy back home that ran it.

However, General Garrardo just smiled and nodded. "And now you know why I handpicked you, out of everyone else fresh out of basic training. Just about all of them have the same troubled history as you, but you have real talent. Talent no one else was willing to pay full price for." Anna wasn't sure how to respond to that. "Do what you must to get that oscilloscope patched up before your next shift. Then, I'll have one of my other techies get around to using it to fix our gear. For all our sakes, our most versatile scout needs a little time off," the general went on, before turning and striding out of the storeroom.

Time seemed to come to a standstill in that storeroom, everything taking on an ethereal quality. Anna remained in that limbo for some time, until….

"Oh, Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnna!" came a singsong voice, waking Anna from her slumber. The human-turned-naga lifted her face from her crossed arms, groggily turning to the voice's source. Sure enough, there was Katrika, her hands behind her back. She was a young naga with short, brown hair, and ashen-grey scales with a blue zigzag pattern running down her tail. As always when Katrika came to see her, she had that giddy look on her face. The poor girl was hopelessly infatuated with her. Among Felaryan predators, being bisexual was hardly uncommon, but Anna had yet to let the kid down easy, so she usually indulged Katrika. "I heard you muttering in your sleep, Anna. Were you dreaming about something?"

Anna sighed. "Not so much a dream as a flashback. Back to when…." Anna stopped herself, growling. Much like Jora, there was no going back to her old life. As Garrardo hinted at, she had always eluded capture by Crisis…until that one day the voracious blond naga blindsided her. Yet, by some freak of fate, after being digested in Crisis's stomach, she was reincarnated moments later as a naga, one just as big as Crisis. Crisis took it upon herself to teach Anna how to live as a naga, and gave her a home in the Giant Tree. To maintain her sanity, Anna kept her skills with machinery and engineering sharp…even though her curious naga roommate had a habit of wrecking her work.

Gazing down at her long naga tail - solid blue scales with a yellow underbelly - Anna sighed again. "So, squirt, what's got to so giddy today? Please, don't tell me it's another present that'll literally blow up in my face." Katrika, eager to please Anna with technology found on her hunts, brought her finds to her. More than once, this involved crates labeled 'explosives'. Katrika said nothing, merely swaying like a cobra ready to strike…a hapless, lovesick cobra. "So…you're gonna make me guess? Is it another camera? A generator turbine, maybe? Maybe some big lens to fix up my particle…"

Katrika smiled even wider, finally revealing what was behind her back. It was some sort of truck, no…a half-track, mobile communications and command center. And it had the symbol for the Deluran armed forces plastered on its sides! This was obviously something that only came about after she…left the Deluran base. The make and model, the overall design…this wasn't standard military issue as far as Anna knew.

"Hmmm, let's see what we got," said Anna, popping open the back doors. To her surprise, it looked to have an entire computer lab within. Whatever the Delurans were doing since her freakish transformation, their plans had become more ambitious, necessitating mobile command outposts, heavily armed and suited for all terrains. It would have to be incredibly stealthy and fast as well, in order to evade predators. A disturbing thought came to Anna. Turning to Katrika, she asked, "Please, kid, don't tell me you took this after…."

Katrika quickly shook her head. "No Anna! I promise, I just found it lying around!"

Anna looked back at the half-track vehicle. While still a Deluran scout, such a powerful piece of tech would've looked awe-inspiring, and now she easily held it in her hand. "Still, I find it hard to believe Deluran soldiers would've ventured all the way to your hunting grounds near Miragia Forest.

Katrika shook her head again. "That's not where I found it. It was on the eastern borders of the Misty Glade!"

That was even more peculiar. Even with such a rugged vehicle, getting across the river south of the base to reach the Misty Glade would be tough. Still, it explained why Katrika found no one still in it. Most likely, they had all gotten lost in those magical mists. Peering into the back again, Anna wondered if the computers were still in good condition. This was a golden opportunity to get some intel about the base, what was going on back home in Delurah, and maybe even….

"Hey, is Crisis back yet?" came a sweet voice from up above. Looking up, Anna and Katrika saw Temi, the healer and leader of the fairy tribe that raised Crisis, fluttering overhead at her human size. Sporting antennae and thick reddish-pink hair, which was tied back to make it look like a huge brush, the fairy also wore clothes fashioned from leaves. Temi was known to be more level-headed than other fairies, not as prone to mischief, but even so, there was anxiousness in her body language that Anna found disconcerting. "Any idea where Crisis is? We didn't see her while flying in, and we really need to ask her something."

Anna shook her head. "Sorry Temi. For all I know, Crisis is still out on a hunt," she told Temi. "Not to mention…hey, hold on. Who is 'we'?"

Temi looked all around, now simply looking confused. "That's funny. Lily and Exona were right behind me."

"Hold on, you brought LILY back here?!" Anna demanded vehemently.

"Wait, is that a bad thing?" asked Katrika.

Anna held up a hand. "You'll find out in about five…four…three…two…one…." She counted down, putting down her fingers.

A long bang from a branch high above made all three look up. Two human-sized figures were dropping down, a tangle of limbs, and crashed onto Anna's workstation, rolling around the various tools and equipment Anna had strewn about.

One of them righted herself, and planted a boot on the neck of the other. A human woman with long, brown hair held back with a headband, with a green sweater and jeans, also brandished a magical staff, and pointed it at her enemy's face. However, she had pinned a fairy, one with a murderous glare. She had long, bushy brown hair, blue eyes that radiated pure rage, patterns of brown spots that adorned her tanned skin…and vines that sprouted out of her arms. Which had wrapped themselves around her assailant's neck.

However, the human seemed wholly unconcerned, her voice cold and flat. "Go ahead, try to put the squeeze on me. I can blow your head off the instant you do," she said tonelessly.

That only seemed to enrage the fairy even more. "You think choking you…is the worst I can do…you lousy human?" she got out. "Give it time. With prolonged contact…I'll…."

"You'll do nothing," came a third voice, seemingly from nowhere. Then another fairy appeared, as if from nowhere, growing from her minimum size to that of a human. Somehow, she snapped the fairy's vines, while also slapping away the human's staff. After pushing aside the human, she stared down contemptuously at her fellow fairy with piercing, hazel eyes. She had long, flowing purple hair and antennae, but a single lock of pink hair fluttered over her left temple. Butterfly-style, crystalline wings flittered behind her, and peculiar, tiger-like stripes adorned her arms and legs, traveling down from the shoulders and hips. "Great way to solicit Crisis and Anna's help, Lily. Try, and utterly fail, to kill Léa for…what is it, the eighth time now?"

"I don't need any more lectures from anyone, especially you Exona. We've all seen it. It's not just that you abstain from eating these mongrels, you actually respect these sick sociopaths on some perverted level," Lily snapped back.

"What I do and who I see in Kortiki Town is none of your business, Lily. And I didn't fly all the way from Kortiki Town to have you complicate our search for Shandra," spat Exona. "Who, might I add, doesn't eat humans either, yet you still seem concerned for her."

"Of course I am. So horribly naïve, that girl, just like Aya," sneered Lily. She briefly looked up to Anna and Katrika. Unlike most fairies, Lily couldn't attain a giant size. Yet she showed no fear under Anna's withering gaze. "And who needs your help anyway? I know of all her favorite spots in between here and the Ur-Sagol Ruins. I'll go find her myself, without the help of any human-loving or formerly-human nagas!"

With that, Lily flew off, not even sparing a glance back. Exona sighed as she looked up to Anna. "So sorry to interrupt your work with Lily's temper tantrums yet again, Anna. Just…let Crisis know about Shandra having gone missing when she returns, will you? I'll go after Lily and make sure she doesn't do anything stupid."

The purple-haired fairy took off after Lily, leaving a confused Anna behind. Anna was never the most sociable person, either as a human or a naga. But instead of resentment at so many people invading her workspace, Anna was just flabbergasted. Felarya was dangerous, and even predators were not entirely safe, yet something told Anna there was more going on than one missing fairy….

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Jora and Milly strode through a lightly-wooded area of the Tolmeshal Forest, somewhere in between Milly's hut and the Bulvon Wood. The sun was setting, its orange rays filtering through the trees. Milly had long since dropped off Jora's rescued humans at Safe Harbor, and according to her, Tanny was doing just fine. Jora would go pick her up in the morning. For now, she was looking forward to some time to herself in their cave. Jora wasn't sure why, but that dream about her old life, and Temperance Brennan, was nagging at her. She thought she long ago had resolved that her old life was gone, and that she would forevermore be a Felaryan predator…albeit a clumsy one. Yet somehow, remembering the night she met Dr. Brennan…it was like those first few weeks with Teliya all over again. Never able to go back, never fitting into her new home….

"Something on your mind, Jora?" asked Milly. A fellow giantess, Milly had light brown skin and long, black hair. She currently lived in her old hut with her boyfriend, the fairy Yemic, but before he came along, she had hardly been alone. Not only was there Calina, but she protected the Alsumi tribe of tomthumbs, people who grew no taller than three inches. In fact, Calina was riding on Milly's shoulder now, and on _Calina's_ shoulder were several Alsumi, including the boy Tan, who seemed quite infatuated with her. Jora never understood how Milly could possibly communicate with the Alsumi, given the extreme size difference, and right now it was furthest from her mind.

"Nothing, really. Just…mulling over how ridiculously clumsy I can still be. Everything from kensha beasts to tonorions out there, and what lays me out when I've got humans to drop off? I bump my head," said Jora. "That, and…while I was carrying that bus, I was debating whether to take it to Safe Harbor or near Nekomura, so they could be taken to Negav. I much as I respect Jade, I can't help but feel survivors I find might be better off in Negav, with the Isolon Eye protecting them."

"Not me. I'd trust Jade over a piece of magical rock anyday," replied Milly. "Besides, from what I've heard from some new arrivals in Safe Harbor who FLED Negav, it's not a happy place to be right now."

"What do you mean?" asked Jora, curious.

"Just some things I picked up after dropping off Isham and your bus," said Milly. "Turns out, over the last few months, there's been a string of mysterious killings in Negav, thirteen in all, and no one knows who's behind it. Mostly these Vishmitals were killed, and it's caused all sorts of tension there. Frankly, I can't blame some of these people for wanting out. The thought of your own kind killing each other, a-a-and how whatever fragile peace there was, about to fall apart from what I hear? No Jora, those humans you rescued are better off in Safe Harbor with Jade."

Jora stared at the ground. Milly had a point about the politics in Negav. The Ps'isol Magiocrats and the Vishmitals were two rival factions sharing power with an uneasy truce, from what Jora understood. If Milly was right, the whole city was about to be ground zero for another pissing contest between the two. And once being a human on Earth herself, she was familiar with the whole 'killing your own kind' thing. If she hadn't been there when those kidnappers went after Brennan…

Jora shook her head, determined to leave her past behind her. Then, Calina cut in. "Plus, let's not forget my own kind in Nekomura, who aren't too happy with either faction from what I gather. I'd be willing to bet someone from Nekomura is playing the two against each other, rechargeable Isolon Eye knockoffs be damned." The neko had a point. In Felarya, one usually doesn't have to confront a dead body. If someone was dead, the body was long since digested. There was no greater recipe for frayed nerves than to leave dead bodies of important human officials where they would be discovered. And evidently, no one in Negav had the know-how to track down the murderer. But perhaps, if by some miracle, someone who owed her a debt could be brought there….

Shaking her head again, Jora kept walking forward. There was no going back to Earth, and whatever was going on in Negav, it was none of her concern…right?

A series of shouts snapped Jora back to attention. Looking up, she saw two fairies, both at human size, flying around haphazardly. One was unfamiliar to her, with flowing, purple hair, while the other… "Oh great, Lily," Jora muttered under her breath.

"Listen to reason, Lily. Shandra's 'spots' here in these parts of the Tolmeshal Forest stretch for miles. You'll spend days scouring them all!" pleaded the purple-haired fairy.

"Just flutter on back to Kortiki Town and have fun with your damned humans, Exona," Lily shot back. "I'm not coming back until I find Shandra."

"I've known Shandra a lot longer than you have, Lily, but blindly flying around Tolmeshal Forest will solve nothing!" pleaded Exona. "I ask you one last time, listen to reason, go back to Temi, and…."

"I'll go back to Temi in my own good time!" cried Lily. "Until then, stay out of my way…or I'll make you!" Lily summoned a vine from her arm, and it shot out to ensnare Exona. However, just before it would have struck, Jora put her outstretched finger between the two, and the vine wrapped around that instead. "Wha…JORA?! What're you…." Lily began, but was cut off when Jora twirled her finger around, and thus Lily as well. "WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA!" screamed Lily, sounding dizzy, until at last, Jora flung Lily into the canopy of a nearby tree.

Once Lily's screams died away, silence lingered for a moment, until Jora noticed all the blank stares aimed at her. "What? It was about time someone shut her up."

Exona let out a nervous laugh. "I'm hardly one to argue with that logic, Jora. But don't you think…."

A loud shriek from the tree Lily was flung at cut Exona off. But this was no scream of impotent rage, but rather, one of terror. After exchanging furtive glances, Exona, Jora and Milly all rushed over to the tree. "I can get up there quicker, see what's going on," Calina offered. Making sure her Alsumi passengers were secure, Calina jumped off Milly's shoulder and scampered up the tree. She disappeared into the leafy canopy. "Alright, you garden-on-wings, what's…oh."

Silence lingered again for a moment, but then Calina burst out from the leafy cover, running down a branch, until she stopped and heaved over the side. Now Jora knew something was very wrong. Calina had lived in Felarya her whole life, and survived all its dangers. Anything that made Calina upchuck her hard-earned meals must be gruesome indeed.

"Calina, what happened? What did you see?" asked Milly kindly.

After coughing a bit longer, Calina turned and said, "Might as well lift those branches and see for yourself. And the only way I'm going back over there is if someone airs out that canopy anyway."

Raising an eyebrow, Milly lifted up the branches obscuring whatever Lily had found. Jora immediately wished she hadn't. There, with the back forced down against a branch angling upward, was the decaying body of a fairy at human size. Within the cover provided by the leaves, the smell of the rotting flesh must have been contained, thus hardly any activity from carrion-eaters. That meant instant nausea for anyone with a powerful sense of smell, such as a neko. Once the wings must have sparkled with crystalline beauty, but now they were dull and chalky, limply hanging on. Much of the hair had fallen away. The remaining scalp only covered half the head, and now, part of the skull was visible. Dark-blue, diseased strands of hair clumped against the rotting flesh of the face….

Lily stood a few feet from the fairy's corpse, and then Exona landed beside her. "Blue hair…long, blue hair…. Oh no no no no no…this was SHANDRA! IT HAS TO BE!"

"How…how horrible!" exclaimed Milly, covering her mouth with her free hand. "And…oh no, it can't be… The position she was forced into. Against something, sitting… I heard…that's how all those dead humans in Negav were found!"

"Wait a minute, whoever's stirring up trouble in Negav is now out here butchering fairies!?" Jora cried incredulously. "That doesn't make any sense."

Lily just stood there, muttering to herself. "Kill…must find…make them pay…kill…." Until now, Jora never understood why Lily was sometimes referred to as 'The Slayer'. But seeing her about to explode like a time bomb…. She returned her gaze to the dead fairy. If Lily was right, she had been part of Temi's tribe, the one that raised Crisis, another helpful friend she had made since arriving in Felarya. And Crisis was also the one Jade, her very best friend here in Felarya, shared a mutual agreement with, and a certain measure of respect. Plus, Jora had heard this Shandra was a fairy who avoided eating humans, and probably dropped off wayward ones to Jade.

This was not some isolated incident, just another casualty of the harshness that was Felarya. This affected just about every predator Jora knew. And if this was connected to the killings in Negav…try as she might, Jora couldn't ignore how political unrest over there could have ripple effects throughout Felarya. Negav was as much a part of Felarya as Chordoni Falls or the Dridders' Forest or the Crimson Wood, and whatever went on there could have repercussions elsewhere.

"Hey Lily, if you're standing there thinking about humans and death, whatever it is…you're absolutely right," said Jora.

"Oh what would YOU know? I don't care if you were once…huh?" Lily blinked in surprise, caught off-guard, which was quite unusual for her.

"Hardly anyone in Felarya is used to seeing death like this, so we need someone who understands death intimately," Jora told the distraught fairy. "And both of us know humans can be ruthless killers. There's an old saying: it takes a thief to catch a thief. So maybe we need a human to catch a human. A human that's familiar with death when it looks like this. So I'll get you a human like that, Lily. I don't know how, but I'll get you Dr. Temperance Brennan."

xxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Once again, instead of getting to work on _Fusion of Destinies III_, I take a turn for the patently absurd. Now, I'm sure most of you have no farking clue what all this Felarya nonsense is. Right now, it's an OEL Manga distributed on Lulu…but what's it about? Well, to put it bluntly, it's a fantasy universe spawned by the vore fetish, which is…the fascination with one being eating another. I'm more for the giant chicks with house-sized tits and could care less about the nomming, but what's amazing about the Felarya universe is how detailed it is and how expressive the characters are, easily rivaling J.R.R. Tolkien's work.

Yeah, I went there. Come at me, bro.

Another amazing thing is that not one person is responsible for Felarya. Karbo is the artist who originated the idea, but through the Internet, other people have contributed concepts and characters, and it has become a lively online community. It is my hope that readers can put Felarya's odd roots aside and enjoy being introduced to a creative, yet bizarre, new fantasy world. For a better look at the characters, hop over to DeviantArt.

Felarya character credits:

Crisis, Anna Demorah, Belletia, Léa, Temi and Lily belong to Karbo

Katrika belongs to Zoekin3

Milly and Calina belong to FrenchSnack

Jora belongs to Ravana3k

Exona, General Garrardo and Shandra belong to Grey-X (Yours truly, bitches)


	2. The Mirror in the Museum

Dynamic Equilibrium

a Bones/Felarya crossover

Chapter 2: The Mirror in the Museum

2-28-2013

by Greyman

Disclaimer: Bones and all related characters are the property of 20th Century Fox. Felarya is the creation and property of Karbo, and all associated characters are the property of their respective creators.

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Milia Moonleith absentmindedly fiddled with her glass. Today was her first day back in Negav, after a long stretch of security duty around the Ascarlin Mountains mines. As a battlemage for the Isolon Fist, the vanguard of the Ps'isol Magiocrats, hers was a stressful and dangerous life. Ever since being accidently transported to Felarya from the kingdom of Nomer, and making a new life here in Negav, Milia's determination to hone her hydromancy served her well. Still, it would be good to finally be 'off-rotation' for a few weeks.

Yet Milia found it difficult to relax. The rest of her unit seemed ready to make the most of this off-rotation, but the recent discord in Negav was not something Milia wanted to come back to. And though she wasn't the most seasoned battlemage (she was only 29, her good looks complemented by dazzling long, blue hair and eyes), some instinct led her to dwell on peculiarities from her last tour.

Harpy involvement had been a bigger problem than ever before, claiming three of her closest friends. Intel suggested it was the same flock, periodically shifting between the southeast part of the Tolmeshal Forest and the Ascarlin Mountains. That purple-haired one with the pauldrons was particularly vexing. Yet a few months ago, most harpy activity abruptly ceased, with no explanation. Everyone else in her unit could've cared less about WHY harpies suddenly stopped attacking the miners, but Milia's gut told her something was wrong.

Hoping to steady her nerves, Milia gulped down her drink while half-listening to the man next to her at the bar counter. An older man, slightly balding, with a stern, squarish face, drooping eyes, and a bulky green jacket that hid how surprisingly athletic he was. Milia recognized him as Pal Sebrit, the most prestigious pilot working for Felarya Express. She'd recognize that weird, grating accent anywhere.

"So thoy're we all woire, wit' that naga Katroyika loomin' over us, the plane not ready fir takeoff yet, an' I tell one of the survoyivors to fetch me what's in loyiker," Pal told someone next to him. "I tell her she oughta give that video recarder to her crush, and she eventually buggers off. Sure helps ta resoiyich all the known preds in these parts, I tell ya. Jus' like anyone else, if ya know what'll incentivoiyze 'em, you cin play 'em for soiykers…"

Milia's grip on her glass tightened, almost shattering it. She didn't care how successful Captain Sebrit was in getting people around Felarya…alive. It didn't matter if some of these monsters had things other than stuffing their faces on their mind, they were all the same. All the fellow Isolon Fist soldiers she had lost over the years drove that home.

Pal Sebrit was going on about some giantess who spared his last surviving passenger on that ill-fated trip (something about agreeing to WRITE for her) when Milia heard something smash apart…something wooden. She whirled around to see some wiry guy in a teal and navy-blue uniform holding the splintered remains of a chair. "Vishmital…" Milia muttered, then her eyes drifted down to who the security agent just attacked. A stout, dark-skinned woman, who worked as an aide to the Magiocrats from Milia's guess, with a bleeding gash on her forehead, and clearly dazed from the blow.

Then, a redheaded neko from Milia's unit, still in her full Isolon Fist uniform, jumped in between them. The catgirl crouched, ready to spring at him, and hissed, daring the young member of the Vishmital Internal Security Agency to keep harassing the aide. Two more Vishmital agents, who were far burlier, stepped up behind him. The bar's other patrons nervously backed away while the neko trooper stood her ground, not intimidated in the least.

_No no no, a bloodbath will solve nothing!_ Milia thought furiously, looking back over the counter. There were several barrels of fresh water. Given a few seconds, with the sufficient humidity to form patterns around, Milia could draw enough water magically from her extradimensional source. But Milia didn't want to risk delay. She had to cool things off NOW.

Her outstretched hand reached for the barrels as she chanted. Bending to Milia's will, the water in the barrels burst out in huge streams. Two knocked back her comrade and formed a half-circle of water in front of the neko, while the rest became thinner streams that wrapped around the three Vishmitals like serpents. Concentrating harder, Milia lifted the three security troopers off the bar floor. She got off her stool and eyed them angrily. "Not a good idea to antagonize Isolon Fist on their first day back on off-rotation," Milia spat.

"Stay out of this, hydromancer," sneered the first Vishmital defiantly. "This cow of a bureaucrat had the gall to mock us over our slain Vishmital brothers. Almost as if she knows about how they died, something her Magiocrat puppet masters must be keeping from everyone…"

"I don't care what's happened in Negav these last few months, or who you think is responsible," said Milia. "Besides, something tells me your superiors will be more torqued by you splitting a Magiocrat's aide's head open than mine will be once they get the bill for this water. If I were you, I'd…."

Just then, one of the burlier Vishmitals wrested himself free of the water bonds and charged Milia. Undaunted, Milia stepped back a little as he lunged, arms outstretched. With her right palm, she struck his right bicep, then slammed into his left bicep with her elbow. Her lightning-quick counter made the Vishmital stagger back. Milia twirled around, sinking her left elbow into his gut, finally dropping him.

Moments later, other Vishmital security agents and Negav police arrived to keep a lid on everything, and healers came to help the aide. Milia stormed out of the bar and into the cold night before anyone could ask her questions. She had kept this from getting any uglier, but Milia knew tensions would only escalate. The killer had to be found, and soon. Unfortunately, so far, the investigations yielded more questions than answers, and they were no closer to an arrest. _For all the Magiocrats' knowledge, they still haven't found a thing,_ mused Milia. _Hardly anyone in Negav is used to seeing dead bodies, let alone examining them for clues. We need someone who is…but who?_

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

With its sirens blaring, Agent Seeley Booth's SUV sped down the street, giving off a sense of urgency that mirrored the driver's. His passenger, however, wore her usual mask of stoicism, but after all their years together, Booth knew better. "I'm telling you Bones, everything fits," Booth told Dr. Temperance Brennan, using the pet name he came up with after their first case. At first, Temperance resented it, but now never complained about being called 'Bones'. "This guy, Jeffrey Rachman, he had the means and the motive. Practically stalking the murder victim, completely infatuated with her, works part-time at her favorite pizza place here in D.C., going through clinical rotations at Sibley Memorial Hospital."

Bones took a moment to take in Booth's assessment, then calmly said. "It's entirely possible that the murder victim's food poisoning was an accident after all, Booth. With methicillin-resistant _Staphylococcus aureus _becoming so prevalent and increasingly difficult to control, it's small wonder that the number of reported cases of toxic shock resulting from food poisoning aren't greater. Not to mention…."

"Please Bones, we both read Cam's tox reports," Booth cut in as he swerved around a sharp corner. "From those numbers, even _**I **_can tell this was no fluke. This punk purposely laced her pizza slices with this MRSA bug," he went on, his vehemence palpable. "And I can use Google and Wikipedia, Bones. There's MRSA flare-ups all the time in D.C., and being in a medical technology program, Rachman would have easy access to this bugger, and the means to cultivate more. He's the only one on our list who does."

"And Rachman realizes that by now, he will be our prime suspect," Bones added. "So we have to get to Sibley Memorial Hospital, before Rachman has a chance to dispose of the MRSA specimens from his specific patient. Given how different strains of MRSA produce different virulence factors, we need the precise strain Rachman used to make sure Caroline can convict him. Without it, all the other evidence is circumstantial."

Booth chuckled a little. "Me talking about microbiology, and you talking about the FBI prosecuting. Makes you wonder just how much we've rubbed off on each other."

"Considering I'm now a month pregnant with your progeny, I'd imagine a lot," said Bones. Her tone was level and nonchalant, meaning she didn't mean it as a jab, but for some reason, it bothered Booth all the same. Right now, she wasn't even looking at him, but at the setting sun and the road ahead, betraying no anxiety over how their killer could dispose of evidence at any time. Her auburn hair fluttered in the breeze from her open window, and her eyes had a frosty, piercing look to them. Booth knew what that cold exterior more or less masked, but even after six years, even he still sometimes wondered if that mask was all there was to Dr. Temperance Brennan.

Booth had already called the hospital, and learned their suspect had no rotations today. However, he was the closest agent, and the only one who could reach the hospital in time. Other agents could scramble for Rachman's apartment, but according to Sweets's profile, their man would make eliminating evidence a priority. Besides, unlike Bones, Booth always trusted instinct, and his told him that Rachman would be coming for those MRSA samples.

With another sharp turn, Booth pulled the SUV up to the emergency entrance, and practically flew out of the car. Out the corner of his eye, he saw Bones was ready to get out. "Hang on, Bones. Let me handle this one alone," he told her.

"Booth, it's early enough in my pregnancy where my gait has yet to be adversely affected and my hormones to significantly affect my cognition," Bones replied with her usual, but occasionally irritating, matter-of-factness.

This time, it was irritating. "Bones, please, there's no time to argue, not when Rachman could show up any second." Not even sparing Bones a second glance, Booth ran through the emergency entrance, gun drawn and badge in hand. "FBI! Where's your clinical laboratory!?" he demanded as he ran to the information desk. Startled, the receptionist pointed down the hall, saying it was down the third hallway on the left. Booth was out of the emergency waiting area before she even finished the sentence.

Booth had already called hospital security, but he was taking no chances. Once Booth found the laboratory's entrance, he burst through. He looked around, gun at the ready and ignoring the shocked looks of the lab workers. _The murder was only three days ago, so those plates with MRSA must still be around, right? _Booth thought to himself, his gaze anxiously sweeping the laboratory. At last, at the far corner, Booth saw a tall, metal cabinet that he guessed was some incubator. And as luck would have it, a lanky guy with disheveled black hair in a lab coat was taking out some plates…. "FREEZE RACHMAN! FBI!" cried Booth, aiming his gun.

Rachman looked up, and with plates in hand, ducked in between two lab workers, as if daring Booth to fire. Even with his experience as a sniper, Booth wouldn't risk shooting right then. Rachman bolted through the back door, with Booth in hot pursuit. Booth ran out in time to spot Rachman ducking around a corner, but then, he heard the perp grunt, along with the sound of petri dishes clattering to the floor.

"Really, Bones?" Booth muttered to himself as he rounded the corner, knowing what he would see. A staggered Rachman was just righting himself, staring dumbly at the dropped plates. Then he noticed Bones standing there, stepping forward again. Rachman clumsily threw a punch. Before he could even scream, Bones had his wrist grasped firmly with one hand, while forcing Rachman to bend over by pushing down on his shoulder blade with the other.

"Booth, if you'll go ahead and cuff him, I'll gather up the plates he dropped," Bones said nonchalantly. "And please, no complaining about my safety. If you did conduct online research about MRSA, you'll know it will only harm me if the organism finds its way into an open wound." Once again, Booth knew Bones wasn't trying to be insulting, but it rankled all the same. Not in the mood to argue, Booth took out his handcuffs, and was none too gentle about slapping them on Rachman's wrists.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Booth shoved their perp out through the hospital's front entrance, where other FBI agents were ready to take him into custody. Temperance followed close behind, quite happy that this case was over. Well, Caroline would still have to prosecute, and she would likely be called to testify, but for the most part, Temperance's work was done. Yet another killer who would face justice, thanks to the Jeffersonian and the FBI. Just one of many they had revealed over the years, making sense of the scant evidence left behind.

However, FBI agents weren't the only ones waiting for them. Temperance saw Angela's car pull up just then. Along with her, out stepped her husband, Dr. Jack Hodgins, the Jeffersonian's eccentric entomologist. He was also carrying their newborn son, Michael Staccato Vincent Hodgins. It reminded Temperance of the child now growing inside her. She briefly wondered if she would be as good as mother as her best friend had been so far, but quickly dismissed it. She hadn't accomplished everything she had in her time by entertaining self-doubt….

"Angela, what are you doing here? Now that Jeffrey Rachman has been apprehended, our work is more or less done," Temperance asked her best friend. "Besides, how did you know we'd be here?"

"Well, I know of your low opinion of psychology, but I still do work for the FBI," came a snarky voice from Angela's car. Temperance turned to see Lance Sweets stepping out of the back seat, along with Camille Saroyan, the Jeffersonian's lab director. "Besides, is there anything wrong with congratulating the happy new couple on their first arrest since getting together?"

Temperance glowered at Sweets for a moment, but then collected herself. Was there any point getting flustered over such a comment? Perhaps the hormones associated with pregnancy were affecting her sooner than she thought.

"Indeed Temp, it's good to know I'm not the only woman in the lab who won't be slowed down by a baby belly," said Angela. "Let's face it, once again, this arrest was pretty much all you."

Though Temperance always allowed herself a small measure of pride upon each arrest, she felt no need to exaggerate. "That's hardly accurate, Angela. You once again made a superb facial reconstruction, after the victim's entire body was obliterated by that train. In addition, Hodgins successfully identified the pollen on her clothes, and traced them to the exotic plants at her favorite pizzeria, and Sweets's profiling let us know that Rachman was our killer. And of course, Dr. Saroyan's toxicology work let us know the victim only stumbled into the path of that train while doing amateur photography, because of staph-related food poisoning…."

"But Temperance, we identified the victim faster because you caught the joint wear that let us know she was a violinist," Camille pointed out. "If it wasn't for that, this investigation would've taken us longer, and Rachman would've destroyed evidence that's sure to put him away."

"Yeah, our first scumbag put away since you and Booth told us the happy news," said Hodgins. "Celebration at the Founding Fathers tonight, for sure."

"Just don't expect me to not have a drink in front of you, Temp," said Angela. "Nothing personal, but remains of train wreck victims are still among my least favorite to work on. Just…no."

xxxxxxxxxxxx

And so, arrangements were made to celebrate at the Founding Fathers that night. Bones told everyone that, personally, she felt it was unnecessary. Rachman was hardly the first killer they unmasked through their mastery of science, and he wouldn't be the last. But in the end, Bones was talked into it, and agreed to come. However, there was still some work to finish up in the lab, such as arranging to send the victim's bones to her family for burial. So after returning to her office, Bones checked her e-mail for anything important, then absentmindedly tossed her coat onto her chair before heading back to the lab.

After a few moments, something moved within the coat's pocket, and then, a tiny figure emerged. It was Temi, having shrunken herself down to just under three inches. Throughout most of the murder case, Temi had tailed Bones and her team, but now that that was over, it was time to report back to her friends in Felarya. "And not a moment too soon," Temi muttered to herself. "It's so loud and confusing here in Jora's world, the air is really stinky, and…."

Ever so carefully, Temi flew up to the office's roof, watching out for those 'cameras' Anna and Jora mentioned. Jora said even though Earth people knew nothing of what a Felaryan fairy could do, getting seen would cause too many problems. Thankfully, the door to Bones's office was open, and after checking to see that the way was clear, Temi fluttered out.

She rose to the lab's high roof and looked down. No human got into that area without swiping some card through some slot, something about 'security clearance'. Inside that square area, humans in blue and grey coats scurried about here and there, examining things with weird machines not unlike stuff Anna built. It felt good to be above the action again, looking down at humans as any normal predator would. She avoided eating humans if she could help it, but needing to stay hidden among them this long…it had made her feel weak and powerless. _Humans sure do have a lot of weird rules and customs,_ Temi thought to herself as she watched the Jeffersonian staff work. _But Jora says that'll let her old friend find whoever killed Shandra, so…._

Taking a deep breath, Temi darted down toward the exit, squeezing through a closing sliding-glass door, with no humans the wiser. Having memorized the camera locations, Temi deftly zipped through the halls, though she felt her anxiety rising. Her usual 'predator sense' didn't seem to work here on Earth. Any approaching humans…Temi would have to rely on sight and sound alone. And despite herself, Temi thought about the reason Lily hated humans so much….

At last, Temi made it to the exhibit about some place called 'South America', and flew to the room that showed off stuff built by humans called 'Aztecs'. Weird rubbery statues adorned with replicas of Aztec clothing, bits of actual Aztec architecture, and rows and rows of display cases showing off artifacts built by these humans. "Subeta would lose her mind in a place like this," Temi mused, casting curious glances at the displays as she flew above them. However, there was only one Aztec artifact she needed. In a far corner of the exhibit, there was a large, circular mirror carved from obsidian. It was the largest of its kind ever found on this world, over seven feet in diameter. Surrounding its outer rim were several red, triangular gems, which glistened like rubies as Temi fluttered in front of it. It was already responding to her thoughts and desires.

Temi took a deep breath and focused. Then, not wanting to linger a second longer and risk discovery by a human, Temi shot right at the mirror. Instead of colliding with it, she passed into the carved rock, and it rippled for a moment as would a still pond after a stone is tossed into it. Soon the ripples faded, and with them all evidence of Temi's visit to Jora's world…

The next few moments were a blur for Temi. Flashes of darkness, flashes of colored light. Refusing to be distracted, Temi pressed on. Just when she feared she would be lost in the gaps between worlds, Temi felt a familiar power, one she had thirsted for these last few days.

And then, at long last, Temi's tiny form exited the dimensional gate situated near the ruins of Ur-Sagol. A huge, ornate stone ring, dating farther back than anyone in Felarya could remember, this gate was different from all the others in this world. One had to merely think of the desired destination, and it would link to the closest available gate. With the help of the naga sorceress Vivian, they had found a suitable exit point on Earth, and with luck, it was in the place Dr. Temperance Brennan worked.

There were a few humans below about to use the gate, shocked by its sudden activity, but Temi paid them no mind. All that mattered was she was back in Felarya, and could feel its abundant, ambient magic. As she flew on, Temi soaked in that ambient energy through her wings like a sponge, sating a hunger that had been alien to her. She swelled in size, reaching her maximum height of 109 feet in seconds. Relief swelled in Temi as well. Stuck on that world, with hardly any magic to draw on, weighed on her physically and mentally. There, she would've been vulnerable to any humans who saw her, and though she didn't necessarily she them as food, the role reversal was not welcome.

Temi kept savoring the familiar feeling as she fluttered to the ground, walking around the outer edge of Ur-Sagol, about a mile from the dimensional gate. "Come on, where is everybody?" Temi thought aloud, impatient. "I sent that message hours ago. Don't tell me Anna's little machine thing is broken already." She looked down at her wrist, around which was fastened what humans called a 'watch'. Anna had rigged this thing so it would send a signal through that mirror when Temi hit a button, letting her friends in Felarya know she was coming back soon. It also had a red jewel attached to it, given to her by Subeta.

Just when Temi's patience was almost gone, she heard the familiar sound of a naga slithering. Crisis and Anna emerged from behind the ruins of an old building. Crisis seemed particularly cheerful, her belly bulging. Temi wondered if her little girl had eaten the humans back at the gate. Temi then heard footsteps as well. Jora and Milly stepped out from the thick forest bordering this part of Ur-Sagol. Lastly, two fairies followed them, both at their full size. First was Melany, who always stood out thanks to her skin's odd pinkish hue, array of small tattoos, and having antlers instead of antennae. Melany had long, straight, teal hair and butterfly-style wings, but the most telling thing about Melany was that crafty, sassy look she usually wore. Subeta was right behind her and, unlike Melany, wore clothes today. Simple orange shorts and a revealing green tie-front halter, along with the mystical glove Subeta always wore on her left hand. Her shoulder-length orange hair and short, horn-like antennae were somewhat hidden under that fedora Subeta wore, but it didn't hide her mischievous smile.

"So Temi, I hope my little artifact helped in Jora's world," said Subeta, her curiosity and glee thinly veiled.

Relieved that Subeta wasn't asking about the treasure trove of artifacts beyond their exit point on Earth, Temi said, "Yes Subeta. With your gem, I was able to understand everyone in that Earth place, just as I could here on Felarya." Temi stopped, suddenly feeling light-headed; it would take time to readjust to the magic that permeated Felarya. This didn't go unnoticed, judging from some nervous glances, and Temi quickly said, "Don't worry about me, everyone. It's just…there's hardly any magic on this Earth. It was horrible…it's just a good thing I went in at my smallest size like Jora suggested. If I had tried to size-shift ANYTHING over there, the effort probably would've killed me."

"So no matter what fairy flies through there and out that rock mirror, she can't have an all-you-can-eat buffet. Good to know," came Anna's dour reply.

"Oh Anna, hush," chided Crisis.

"Speaking of humans, can someone explain to me why some of you are just as concerned about those few that got killed in Negav as you are about Shandra?" asked Melany.

Temi glowered at Melany. "Anna and Jora already told you. Those killings inside Negav can eventually make EVERYTHING destabilize over there. And yes, Melany, you DO care about that. Unrest there means less travelers coming to Negav…and out into Felarya proper. That means humans become scarcer. That means less humans falling into your traps."

Melany made a pouty face, a clear sign she knew Temi had her. Oblivious to the tension, Crisis sauntered forward, her cheerful face alight with interest. "So, what was it like over there, Temi? Is it really a world with a bunch of humans with no predators? Did they look tasty? How did…."

Anna slapped a hand over Crisis's mouth. "And most importantly, did you find this Dr. Brennan? And do you think she can help figure out who killed Shandra, and why?" she asked, ignoring Crisis's whimpers of protest.

Temi scratched her head, looking down nervously as she fidgeted which fallen rubble from the ruins with her toes. "Well, I found this Brennan just as they found a human body that was in pieces. These icky, bloody, rotting pieces of bone and guts and…" Temi stopped for a moment, shuddering at the memory. "But Brennan figured out who she was really fast. Something about her shoulders, elbows and wrists showing wear from playing a violin."

"That wooden thing with strings that Claire plays?" asked Melany.

"Yeah, that. But this Brennan, she didn't figure out HOW this human was killed. Someone she worked for found that out. Something about these bacteria things on what she ate," Temi replied.

"Not tomthumbs, I hope," said Milly.

"Uh, no. It was on this thing called pizza, put there deliberately, and it poisoned her so badly she fell in front of this thing called a 'train'," Temi went on.

Milly shuddered. "Someone tried food poisoning with me once. A clever way to kill someone, that's for sure."

"Pizza…isn't that Claire's favorite food?" asked Melany dejectedly.

"Oh please, Melany, if you have a problem with Claire, get in line. Scala's still got a running feud with Claire, last I heard," spat Jora.

"In any case, you're saying Brennan didn't solve her latest murder on her own?" Anna asked Jora, ignoring the others.

Temi shook her head. "No, she also needed some man in a beard to find where she ate the pizza, just from pollen in what was left in her hair. And a woman, his wife, actually recreated what this human's face looked like, just from crushed bits of her head. This other man, a pretty young one, did this thing called a 'profile' on the guy everyone guessed was the poisoner, and this big man traveling with Dr. Brennan…I'm not sure, but he was responsible for actually capturing the poisoner, and everyone seemed to trust his insight." Temi was still confused by this Seeley Booth and his job as 'law enforcer'. His whole life seemed to revolve around catching humans who killed other humans…for all of Temi's knowledge, it was incomprehensible to her. Temi couldn't imagine any fairy in her tribe wanting to hurt another fairy, but these humans…Lily wasn't entirely wrong about their capacity for cruelty. And Jora seemed to think they needed that kind of human to find whoever took Shandra from them.

"So what do you think we should do now, Jora?" asked Crisis, turning to the former human.

But Jora had her back turned to the others, muttering something to herself. "A botanist, some sort of artist, a coroner, a psychologist, and that one agent," Temi heard Jora mutter. "I can't believe this. I was so impressed by Temperance Brennan when I first saw her, it never occurred to me that she didn't solve these mysteries entirely on her own."

"So you're saying…it's not just this one human we need? It's all six of them?" asked Subeta.

"Makes sense," said Anna. "It sounds like this Temperance Brennan works mainly with the bones left behind. Other clues require experts in other fields to elucidate."

"And Anna, once being one of these little monkey men, would know," teased Melany, a wry, daring look on her face.

Anna was about to lunge at Melany, but Crisis thrust herself between them. "Not now, girls! It sounds like we gotta decide if it's a good idea to bring these six humans to Felarya. That spell Vivian cast on the gate…it'll fade in a few days, and Vivian's not sure when she can cast it again. We have to choose soon. Jora, what should we do?"

Jora's back was still turned. "You know me, Crisis. I don't think any unwilling human should be brought to Felarya. I was hesitant to have an old acquaintance be brought here, and now we'll need half a dozen humans?"

"Jora, from what I saw, this Temperance Brennan is pretty cold, but driven and loyal," said Temi. "If she told you she's in your debt, I'm certain she'll honor it. And these humans she works with…I get the feeling they'd follow her."

For a moment, Jora kept her back turned to the other predators. Finally, with a sigh, she looked to them over her shoulder. "Let's go get them."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next day, Lance Sweets sat across from Camille Saroyan, at the table in the diner Brennan and Booth frequently ate at. Sweets wondered how often the pair got a phone call about a new murder, while sitting right here at this table. But that was hardly the thing about Brennan and Booth that occupied his mind the most. Sweets had observed them closely for years, and the two of them preparing for a baby changed everything….

"I swear, I don't know what I'm doing here," said Camille. "I keep up with all the medical literature, but I've NEVER seen staph toxin numbers as high as what I got from that small intestine piece those FBI agents scraped off that rail. I figured it'd be at least a month before I could eat out again." She looked across the table, seeing that Sweets staring blankly out the window. "Hey, shrinky guy. You're supposed to convince me to keep blowing money eating out here, health consequences be damned."

"What. Oh oh, sorry, Dr. Saroyan," said Sweets quickly. "My mind was simply wandering."

Camille smiled. "Ah, wondering about the pitter-patter of the little feet of Booth and Brennan's super-offspring?" she asked coyly. "I think we all are. It was an agonizing wait as Angela went through her pregnancy, and YAY! Now everyone's favorite forensic anthropologist will need a baby shower. Almost makes me glad I adopted a teenager, to be honest."

"You know I'm more interested in the psychological aspect," said Sweets. "There's a lot of hurt on Booth's side, with how his wife left him, and always worrying if he's been doing right by his son after that. The drive to prove he's a better father than his own may actually be counterproductive, especially since he'll have to juggle his responsibilities to Parker and his new child. As for Dr. Brennan…honestly, I better get used to lugging around a copy of the DSM-IV to stay on top of her."

Camille stared at Sweets for a moment. "I'm sure she'll appreciate your vote of confidence," she said dryly. "But she's solved every murder mystery the FBI sent her way, even the ones involving the Gravedigger. I'm sure she'll do just fine raising a baby with Booth."

Sweets said nothing, but instead looked out the window again. This time, something caught his eye. Right outside, there was a fairly young woman, with long, brown hair held back with a headband, and a long-sleeved green shirt. There seemed to be something attached to her belt, but Sweets was more focused on her cold, grey eyes. She had obviously been staring at him and Camille, and showed no discomfort about being found out. She simply walked away, never taking her eyes off Sweets.

"But I'm sure you'll give me some psychologist talk about how there's no substitute for hands-on experience, and you can't say if something is easy until you've tried it yourself," Camille went on. "I admit that looking after Michelle was far more of a handful than I first guessed, and now college is coming up. Again, glad I'm not raising a kid from the start…."

Sweets sighed, and said, "True, and even with all my education and experience, I'll never have first-hand experience with a child like Dr. Brennan's about to. But the same holds true for her. All her knowledge about the phases of pregnancy and what hormones will go through her will only get her so far. And her previous experience with infants? Two words: dancing phalanges."

"How very very true, about how you can never definitively say you can handle something until you're there," came a flat voice. Sweets and Camille looked up, and Sweets stiffened a little when he saw that woman standing over them. Without an invitation, she grabbed a chair and threw it against the table. She folded her arms over the back of the chair, looking from Sweets to Camille and back. "You really take pride in how you can get into people's heads, don't you, Dr. Lance Sweets?" said the mysterious woman. "I'm Léa, by the way. So, Dr. Sweets, I'm curious…would you consider it wrong for a person to _not_ have a problem with her own people being killed right in front of her? Not only that, what if she befriends the one doing the killing, just because she's shown her more kindness than her own people?"

This Léa's uninvited arrival had already caught Sweets off-guard, but this question had him flustered all over again. There was something about this woman that made him nervous. "Well, it's not unprecedented, turning a blind eye to mass murders, because a connection to another person or cause was stronger than any moral inhibition," said Sweets, fumbling for an answer. "Why do you ask?"

"As I said, just curious," said Léa aloofly. "I've long since stopped caring about what other humans think of me, though."

It took a few seconds for those last words to sink in. "Wha…'other humans'?" repeated Camille, her voiced laced with confusion. Léa just stared back, unconcerned. "What are you…who…"

"And going back to the whole matter of never knowing what you can handle until you're thrown into the thick of it, I need you two for a murder mystery, and I promise it's unlike anything you've seen before," Léa went on. Her voice was soft and mellifluous, but there was always a cold edge behind it. "Let's just hope your prior experiences will still be useful."

"You need us to solve a murder?" asked Sweets. "Us specifically? Is this a case that's gone uninvestigated because the FBI is backed up, or is…." Sweets's voice trailed off when he saw Léa reach for whatever was on her belt. It was no bigger than a flashlight, with some sort of big, cone-shaped jewel at one end. Unnoticed by anyone else in the restaurant, it extended to the length of a yardstick, almost as if by…magic?

"What the hell is that? How did it…." Camille began, but the jewel suddenly emitted an eerie light. Even at high noon, sunlight streaming in unabated, that faint, mysterious light commanded Sweets and Camille's attention. Once he realized something was wrong, Sweets tried to look away, but found he was rooted to the spot, frozen like a statue. Out the corner of his eye, he saw Camille had the same problem. Within moments, they were transfixed.

"Good thing you two have no prior exposure to magic, and thus no resistance. Even a trainee can enchant you," said Léa coolly. "Tonight, at 10:00 PM by your time, both of you will go back to the Jeffersonian crime laboratory, and you will stay there and wait for me." Léa then turned to Camille. "And you will order security to leave by then, and turn off all of the Jeffersonian's security measures. Every single one."

With that, Léa willed her staff to revert to its previous length. Standing up, she holstered it and turned to leave, confident that her work was done. Sweets and Camille still sat at the table, seemingly staring off into space, unblinking. But moments later, they blinked and shook their heads, only having fleeting memories of a weird brown-haired woman intruding on their conversation.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Some pedestrians glanced nervously at the red Toyota Camry that almost swerved onto the sidewalk, but soon got over their momentary shock and moved on. Isham sighed, relieved that his awkward driving hadn't drawn TOO much attention. It was bad enough that this vehicle didn't work quite like the automobiles on his old world…and that this one was STOLEN.

Isham glanced up at the rearview mirror. His short, tousled brown hair and stubby beard accentuated the constant, nervous look in his brown eyes that never seemed to fade, no matter how acclimated he got to Felarya's threats. Calina sat in the back, wearing a large-brimmed hat to conceal her cat ears, and her tail was stuffed inside her shorts. She was smiling to herself, trying to look innocent, but the owner of this car would probably disagree…when he woke up in a few hours.

To make matters worse, they had lost the car he had been tailing. Temi had tried to explain the layout of these streets, where these Jeffersonian people frequently went, everything she remembered. But navigating them himself was a maddening chore.

"There's an old adage I heard often in Safe Harbor: men never ask for directions. I guess it's true," said the woman in the passenger seat, teasingly. A little shorter than him, with shoulder-length auburn hair and green eyes, Elia had been royalty in her world, before her accidental arrival in Felarya, and her gentle demeanor but underlying stern strength reflected that.

They had met in Safe Harbor, soon after he moved there from Milly's hut, and slowly became very close. But just when his old friendship with Milly stopped making things awkward, the giantess came to Safe Harbor and told Jade they'd need some humans to go retrieve humans from another world. Despite himself, Milly talked Isham into volunteering, and Elia insisted on coming along. Isham was glad to have someone besides the eccentric neko to talk to, but right now, frayed nerves were getting the better of him.

"Hey, it's been a long time since EITHER of us were in a human world this advanced," Isham snapped before he could stop himself. "And THIS thing is supposed to give me directions, but it's been NO HELP WHATSOEVER," he added, pointing at the computer screen that was constantly spitting out directions and road names and other jargon. The gems Subeta gave them to understand this world's languages worked even with machines, yet the chatterbox screen wasn't making a lick of sense. It took all of Isham's willpower to not plunge his fist through it.

"Well, it doesn't look like we'll need it anyway. I think that's the car belonging to this Hodgins and Angela, right over there," said Elia, pointing to a parking lot on their right.

"She's right. And I see them standing outside that building," Calina added. Isham glanced to the side, and saw the pair they were tailing, talking with a short, stout, blond woman. Isham slammed the brakes and turned into the parking lot. This elicited angry honks from the cars behind them, and Calina stuck her head out the window, giving off a growl, practically a battle cry among the nekos. With a sigh, Elia reached back and pulled Calina inside as Isham found a parking spot. "So, what do we do now? Follow them in and take them by force? There are too many people around. Should we wait until Léa can come and hypnotize them?"

With a hiss, Calina stuck her head back out the window. "Even with how ridiculously noisy these human cities are, I can hear them just fine from here," she said. "Alright, that other woman is someone called Avalon. Says she's a psychic, and warning them of a challenge coming, unlike any of their other cases."

"Which is not too far from the truth. I doubt they've had dead fairies in their lab before," said Isham.

"But that Hodgins guy isn't buying it. Hoooo, this is gonna be a nasty shock for him," quipped Calina. "Anyway, Angela's saying they're here to see….uhhh, what's a 'pediatrician?'"

Isham's eyes widened, and he leaned out his window for a better view. For the first time, he noticed the baby Dr. Hodgins was holding. Sickness suddenly exploded in his stomach. "Hang on everyone, we were supposed to fetch only six investigators and that was it. No one said anything about bringing KIDS to Felarya!"

"Oh, don't worry so much!" cried Calina. "Jora's guests will be well-protected, with friendly predators around them at all times. Besides, it's not just Katrika and Fiona that babies are safe around, period. Look at Milly."

"What? Milly refused to eat a baby once?" asked Elia.

"Yeah. After she ate her mother, she couldn't decide what to do with it. She would've hardly been a mouthful, so she handed the little bugger off to be raised by some fairies," said Calina nonchalantly. Isham facepalmed. Milly never mentioned that story to him, and he wondered if he should bring it up the next time he saw her. Unperturbed, Calina went on. "Anyhoo, them having a baby actually makes this easier. Just keep that engine running and wait for me."

Before Isham could say anything, Calina bolted out of the car, looking dangerously close to running on all fours. "What is that neko up to now?" he thought aloud.

"With that one, who knows?" Elia replied. With a sigh, she sat back in her chair and looked around. "This world Jora comes from, it's a bit smelly, and crowded, and dirty…but still seems like a nice place to live."

"I guess," said Isham absentmindedly. Admittedly, he had been curious of the world Jora hailed from. Judging by what he saw here, Jora had indeed lived an easy, carefree life compared to her life in Felarya. There was no question that being after dumped in Felarya and becoming a giantess, it would be hellish for someone like Jora to adapt. Of course, that didn't excuse the decisions Jora had made since then….

"Perhaps we should consider coming here, instead of Negav, when it's time to send these Jeffersonian people back home. Even Negav isn't entirely safe, and I doubt it will be even after they find who murdered those Vishmitals," Elia went on. "What do you think?"

That possibility never occurred to Isham. Perhaps this Temperance Brennan would help them settle into this world, as another favor to Jora. Then again, Jora had long since caught on to his dislike of her. Also, as horrible a place as Felarya could be, he had made many friends there. Vivian made it sound like that spell connecting that obsidian mirror to the Ur-Sagol gate was only temporary. Would he really want to….

Calina's sharp cry snapped Isham to attention. "Get ready to roll, Isham!" Before he knew it, Calina had slid into the back seat. Only now, Dr. Hodgins's crying son was cradled in her arms. "GO GO GO GO! DRIVE!"

Too shocked to do anything else, Isham put the car in gear and barreled out of the parking lot. "Calina…ARE YOU MAD!?" demanded Elia. "Where does kidnapping the child of two scientists Jora needs get us!?"

"Those two coming back to the museum tonight, without a word whispered to anyone, that's where," Calina snapped back, her voice almost drowned out by the baby's crying. "By now, Léa should have it so the psychologist and coroner show up tonight, too. Only that big guy and Dr. Brennan herself are left."

It was Elia's turn to facepalm. As Isham drove on, he swore to himself that if he and Elia had kids, Calina would be one of the LAST people he'd ask to babysit. He'd ask Crisis first.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Meanwhile, another couple had just finished a visit to a medical expert, this time regarding a child not yet born. Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth stepped out from the doctor's office and onto the sidewalk, beginning the long trek back to Booth's SUV. However, unnoticed by the pair and all the other pedestrians, a lone figure had lingered in front of the office, apparently reading a newspaper while waiting for a ride. Then, suddenly, the newspaper was lowered, to reveal a red-haired woman in a bulky coat, who also wore a bandana that covered the tops of her ears. Her face had rough, sharp features, as if she had endured lifetimes of trials and hardship, and had piercing, green-yellow eyes. She cast a glance over at Booth and Brennan as they walked off, then followed.

Xanthe tailed the pair for almost a whole block, to where their SUV was parked. And so far, neither of them noticed they were being followed. _In a way, still a perfect huntress,_ she thought to herself, not knowing whether to feel good or ashamed about that. She touched something inside her ear, then said, "Remus, can you hear me? I'm following Brennan and Booth back to their vehicle. Approach from the other side."

"All I'm saying, Booth, is that there's no need for anxiety if I experience trouble during labor," she heard Dr. Brennan say. "The ancient Aztecs used to utilize chemicals gleamed from the tails of opossums as a last resort if there were severe complications, which worked surprisingly well. Pharmacology has advanced considerably since then. Booth, could you wait a minute?"

_Keep talking. Let this be an easy job,_ Xanthe thought as she pressed herself up against a van parked next to their SUV. After settling in Safe Harbor, she thought her days as a fighter were over. And hunting humans? Something she gave up a long, LONG time ago. But now, to get justice for someone who shared her views, Xanthe would have to stalk what she and Shandra stopped seeing as prey.

Xanthe was so absorbed in the irony of it all, she failed to notice Brennan had snuck up behind her. "Excuse me, but why were you following Booth and I from the physician's office?"

Wide-eyed, Xanthe turned to see Brennan there, her face stony and unreadable. She attacked first, bringing her arm down for a chop. Xanthe brought up her forearm to block it, but realized too late that it was a feint. Brennan moved in, landing an upward palm strike under Xanthe's chin. Her teeth clacked together painfully and she staggered back.

"Bones, what the hell's going on?" demanded Booth, who peered around the van to see them fighting. Out of the corner of her eye, Xanthe saw Booth reach for his weapon. However, in his haste to protect the woman he loved, he failed to notice someone who felt the same about Xanthe….

From out of nowhere, a man with flaming orange hair who was quite shorter than Booth, but burly and powerful in his own way, tackled the FBI agent to the ground. Booth's gun clattered to the ground, and the other man shoved it away. Meanwhile, Brennan advanced again, launching a straight kick at Xanthe. Xanthe deflected it with an outside crescent kick, but it was another feint. Brennan maintained her balance, span around, and came at Xanthe with another chop, this time landing the blow. Xanthe reeled as Brennan's hand smashed into her neck, but what stung more was realizing how stupid she had been. First rule for Felaryan predators: _NEVER_ assume you've got the hunt in the bag. The second rule? _NEVER_ assume there's no one who can overpower you.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Booth eyed the other man carefully as they both stood up, fists at the ready. This guy looked to be in his forties, quite haggard with a scraggy orange beard to go with his wild, fiery hair. Well, whoever he was, he was with the woman that stalked Bones, so his ass was grass. Booth threw a punch, and the other guy didn't react fast enough to duck or block. However, he did roll with it, and immediately launched one in return, smashing his fist into Booth's jaw. "I can already haul you in for assaulting an agent, why not get in some more licks?" spat Booth, nursing his jaw. Despite the bravado, Booth knew that whoever this guy was, he was no stranger to brawling.

They traded some more blows, but both of them turned when a sharp cry rang out in the parking lot. Bones had the other woman's arms pinned behind her back. Booth used that distraction to scramble for his gun, and his attacker couldn't stop him in time. "Alright, I want answers and I want them now," demanded Booth in no uncertain terms. "Who are you two, and why did you attack me and Bones?"

"Attack _you_? Dr. Brennan attacked Xanthe, and then you were going to pull your gun!" scoffed the man. His accent sounded slightly Scottish, but it was still one Booth had never heard before.

"And the truth is, Remus and I were hoping you two would come willingly," Xanthe added, still struggling in Bones's hold. "We need you and _especially_ Dr. Brennan. She's the only one who can hope to solve a string of fourteen murders."

Bones looked up to Booth; the look in her eyes, she was silently asking if he thought it was wise to release Xanthe. Booth simply nodded, and Xanthe staggered away from Bones to stand by Remus. "Why sneak up on us in a parking lot if you require my expertise and Booth's investigative skills? Why not simply go to the FBI?"

"This…well, let's just say that these killings are beyond the FBI's jurisdiction," said Remus with a nervous laugh. "Way, WAAAAAAAAAY beyond the FBI's jurisdiction."

"To put it bluntly, they happened in a world that's completely alien to you, one nestled in between dimensions," added Xanthe.

During all his years with Bones, Booth had heard some wild science facts and freaky tidbits about ancient cultures. Sometimes he reacted with laughter, other times with shock. But right now, Booth didn't know what to think. "OK, I'm foreseeing adding drug use to assaulting an FBI agent to your boyfriend's list of charges," he eventually got out.

"I doubt they've used any substance that would alter cognition and coordination, Booth," said Bones. "Remus was holding his own against you, an experienced soldier, and it took some effort for me to pin Xanthe."

Xanthe glared at Bones. "Thank you for the vote of confidence. Just don't get cocky about how you caught me off-guard. At any rate, I understand that you're what one would call 'hyper-rational'. A stickler for basing every decision on observable evidence, not accepting that there are worlds beyond yours without tangible proof, right?"

Booth looked over to Bones, whose turn it was to be taken aback. "Yes, I have gained infamy for just that," said Bones. "What's your point?"

"That I've got the proof you'll need," said Xanthe. Xanthe turned around and undid her coat. Booth kept his gun aimed, ready to fire if this was some sort of trick, but Xanthe didn't fish any weapons out of her coat, and then took off her black T-shirt….

Four protrusions sprang out from Xanthe's back. Dumbfounded, Booth peered for a better look. Now he was convinced someone must've slipped _HIM_ some drugs. If he didn't know better, he would've sworn those were the wings of a fairy, only half-melted off.

Silence fell over the parking lot, but Xanthe broke through it with an impatient voice. "Go on, Dr. Brennan. You've mastered the study of the physiology of humanoid beings, haven't you? Examine what's left of my wings, and you'll see these are _NOT_ fake."

With slow, uncertain steps, Bones approached Xanthe like she asked. Remus held up his hands and backed away from the women, just as Bones gingerly held out her hand, hesitant to touch the wings, as if afraid doing so would confirm what she and Booth knew was impossible.

Bones felt the texture of Xanthe's ruined wings, which twitched reflexively, and then Xanthe hissed as Bones's hand pressed against her back, between the wings. She then felt along the lateral edges of where Xanthe's wings sprouted from her back.

For a minute, Bones was silent, engrossed in her examination. Then, with a shaky voice, she told Booth, "I'm feeling muscles along Xanthe's back that have no analogues in a human body. And perhaps, if these unique muscles are the right combination of fast-twitch and slow-twitch fibers…if her wings were uninjured, she might have enough power to lift her own mass and…fly…." Booth could tell from Bones's voice that, at that moment, she felt like her world was falling apart. It wasn't too far from what Booth was feeling himself.

"Now that we've established that we DO come from worlds beyond yours," Xanthe began as she put her T-shirt back on, "maybe we can talk about the murders that happened back in Felarya, and what you can do to solve them."

"OK OK, suppose, for the sake of argument, we accept that you two come from some wacko Ozzy fantasy land called Felarya," spat Booth. "The question remains: why seek out Bones and I? Hell, how'd you even know about us and what we do?"

"From Jora Fenderen," said Remus simply.

That name meant nothing to Booth, but it clearly meant something to Bones. Booth thought that she couldn't have looked more shocked after examining Xanthe, but her eyes widened even more. "Jora Fenderen…she's alive? I…I had heard reports from Germany, that she had disappeared...presumed dead…."

"Nope, she just got dumped in Felarya, and her circumstances…ensured death wouldn't find her as easily as it does other visitors there," Remus said dismissively.

"And now, she's collecting on the debt you owe her, from when she made sure you could fight off those three thugs six years ago," Xanthe added. The look in Bones's eyes, once again, let Booth know these two were not lying. "Things can spiral out of control back in Felarya pretty soon, and Jora says you're our best shot at averting that."

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Felarya character credits:

Crisis, Anna Demorah, Temi, Léa, Lily, Belletia, Melany, and Subeta belong to Karbo

Milly, Isham, Elia, Calina and Pat Sebrit belong to FrenchSnack

Jora belongs to Ravana3K

Remus vir Patstriker and Xanthe belong to NickInAmerica

Katrika belongs to Zoekin3

Milia Moonlieth belongs to vaderaz

Exona, General Garrardo and Shandra belong to yours truly, Grey-X


	3. The Flesh of a Fairy

Dynamic Equilibrium

a Bones/Felarya crossover

Chapter 3: The Flesh of a Fairy

3-21-2013

by Greyman

Disclaimer: Bones and all related characters are the property of 20th Century Fox. Felarya is the creation and property of Karbo, and all associated characters are the property of their respective creators.

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The ride back to the Jeffersonian in Booth's SUV passed in awkward silence, the cold chill of Washington, D.C.'s night punctuating Booth and Brennan's lingering confusion. Remus didn't blame them. If they knew half the story about what awaited in Felarya, they would surely rethink everything, old debt or no. But withholding the truth was necessary. They needed Dr. Brennan and her team. Shandra, a fairy who swore off eating humans long ago, was killed not out of self-defense or for food, but for some other nefarious reason. Remus and Xanthe agreed with Temi: Shandra's pack needed justice. Then there was Negav, a political tinderbox because of the killings there. If the murderer wasn't found soon…..

At last, they reached the Jeffersonian. The four of them tepidly clambered out of the SUV. As they approached the building, Booth finally let his frustration break the silence. "I'm just not seeing it, Mr. Patstriker. This Felarya is some weird world where magic is LITERALLY in the ground itself, the land permeated with it. And yet there's no one there that can use it, wave some wand, and solve these murders for you?"

During his travels, Remus had come to Earth, and knew a little bit about the cultures and literature here. Indeed, from Booth's perspective, a hypothetical 'fantasy world' wouldn't need investigators like him or Brennan's analytical skills. It would be difficult trying to explain why these fourteen deaths were so unusual...and make sure they didn't refuse to help. "For now, let's just say no one's accustomed to seeing dead bodies, or know what to do with them," Remus said delicately.

"That…doesn't make any logical sense," said Dr. Brennan as the four strode through the Jeffersonian's halls. "Hopefully, this means that warfare is not endemic among the peoples of Felarya, and thus Ms. Fenderen needs seasoned investigators. But…you almost make it sound as if no one dies of disease or old age there."

Remus and Xanthe glanced at each other. "That…last part is not too far from the truth. Who knows, maybe you can help us explain why that is."

Finally, they reached the forensics lab, which was right where Temi said it would be. Essentially one big, eerily clean metal square raised high like a theater platform, but with several equally clean tables and a host of scientific instruments. In a strange way, to Remus, the whole setup felt…sacred. Like he and his friends were about to defile a holy site where miracles were performed on a daily basis. Even the nighttime gloom and the lack of activity did nothing to dispel this notion.

"But we need those miracles worked in Felarya," Remus muttered under his breath.

"There's something you and the fairy aren't telling us, Remus. You're dancing around the issue of what makes this other fairy's murder so unusual, and why no one in this magical interdimensional…thing knows how to solve it," spat Booth. Remus realized Temi and Jora were right. This Booth guy wasn't dumb muscle, but the shrewd mind that put the clues together. Subconsciously, Remus began walking faster, as if by putting distance between him and Booth, he could distance himself from his awkward questions. But in doing so, Remus stepped up into the forensic lab before the others…which only served to make Booth and Brennan more suspicious.

"How did…the alarms didn't go off!?" cried Brennan.

"Come to think of it, we haven't passed any security guards, and we didn't have to input any codes or anything," Booth added. Remus looked down and saw Booth's hand inch closer to his gun. This was not going as planned.

"Great. What else can complicate things?" Remus thought aloud. Right on cue, there was a sound that no one expected: a baby's cry.

"What in the…?" Booth began as everyone turned toward the sound. He and Brennan tensed up as a dark-skinned girl with cat ears and a tail stepped out from Dr. Saroyan's office, holding a baby.

"Hey Remus, I thought I heard you," said Calina, looking up into the forensics lab. "You're good with kids, right? Any chance you can get the little guy to shut…oh." Calina finally noticed Booth and Brennan, who stared in disbelief at the baby cradled in her arms.

"Booth…that's MICHAEL! Whoever's working with Remus and Xanthe…they've kidnapped Dr. Hodgins's son!" exclaimed Brennan. For someone supposed to be cold and detached, Remus couldn't help but notice the venom in her voice. Remus wondered if he sounded like that to Jora and Milly when going on one of his rants.

"That's it, I don't care what hocus-pocus la-la-land you folks hail from. You're all in _my_ jurisdiction now, and assaulting an FBI agent _AND_ kidnapping can get you all dropping the soap for your fairy queen for decades!" spat Booth, finally taking out his gun. Calina stared blankly at his weapon. Calina could jump out of harm's way, but that baby complicated things.

Thankfully, the baby's parents came at just the right time. "BOOTH! TEMPERANCE!" came another woman's voice. "Thank God you're here too! Some crazy chick kidnapped Michael and told us to meet here without breathing a word to anyone! I don't know how you pieced this one together so fast, but…"

"Michael's fine, Angela. We got Michael and the perp right here," said Booth.

Remus looked down from the lab to see this Angela, standing beside a man slightly shorter than her, who also sported short red hair and a beard. They were staring at Calina with unveiled contempt. "Ah, I bet you're the artist and the plant guy," Remus said to them, not sure why he was trying to sound nonchalant. Maybe it was because he'd faced far worse than an angry bloke with a gun. "Calina, you, Elia and Isham got the psychologist and the coroner, right?"

"They're here in the office. Any…special reason the agent guy is pointing a weapon at us?" asked Calina innocently.

"Hey, for a guy we were about to gang up on in a parking lot and who saw someone kidnap a coworker's kid, he's handling it pretty well," said Remus flatly. He made a mental note to have a long, looong talk with Calina. Hopefully, she'd be easier to reach than their mutual friend, Milly.

"Booth, just what the HELL is going on here!? What the hell do these people want!?" demanded Hodgins. "And what is up with those kitty ears? Wait, the ears, the dark skin…oh, she's from Egypt, isn't she? Oh, I bet this has something to do with the Ordo Templis Orientis, and…."

"Hodgins, please, let's obsess over conspiracy theories and illuminati AFTER we get our son back from the crazy mutant cat chick," snarled Angela. Angela turned to glare at Calina, no doubt ready to bum-rush the neko to get Michael back. But then, there was a bright flash of light right behind Angela and Hodgins. It was as if some sort of explosion went off behind them, and they crumpled to the ground, unconscious. When the light cleared, Remus saw Léa standing over them, clutching her staff.

Dr. Brennan's eyes widened, but from fear or simple curiosity, Remus couldn't tell. "And who's this? How did she she…." Brennan began. But before Booth could turn and aim at Léa, she fired the same spell at the pair. Both were blasted back against the outer edge of the crime lab, and slid to the ground, unconscious.

Remus peered over the lab's edge, staring blankly at their still bodies. When he turned to Léa, though, his look was one of exasperation. "Really, Léa? Kidnapping the artist's newborn son wasn't enough? Now we blast Dr. Brennan herself and her partner into oblivion, right before they're dragged to Felarya? Not the best way to establish a working relationship."

"You know as well as I do that it would take too long to explain everything about Felarya to these Earth humans, and they'd never go willingly if we actually did," said Léa stiffly. "On top of that, having the coroner disable all the security is no guarantee we won't be noticed. We don't have the luxury of time."

Michael bawled again in Calina's arms. "Uhhhh, I'm with our stone-cold singer on this one. I mean, we've got to prep all this gear they use to solve crimes to go through that mirror, not just these six, right?" Calina asked delicately. Remus heard Xanthe mutter something under her breath, but he was staring at the crying baby. Then he glanced at Michael's unconscious parents. He knew all too well…the feeling that you failed someone who looked to you as a father….

Remus turned away and looked around the crime lab. Computers, microscopes, a plethora of tools that looked like they were for surgery…. Calina was right. The plan wasn't just to haul those six back to Felarya, but to swipe anything that wasn't nailed down.

And so, for the next few minutes, Remus and his friends got to work doing just that. Fortunately, Jora and Anna had compiled a list of everything they thought a forensic team would need to track a fairy killer, and Temi had a good idea where to find everything. They grabbed roll-around carts and started piling all sorts of stuff onto them. Every laptop computer they could find, every chemical Jora thought they would need….

"I still don't like it," Remus told Xanthe as they unplugged Dr. Hodgins's infrared spectrometer. "It feels like we're…I dunno, looting a temple or something. This place is practically their second home, right? This is where Jora's old friend does all her best work. Are we kidding ourselves? Is finding this killer worth tearing this place apart, and tearing Dr. Brennan away from all that…dragging her somewhere she's liable to get eaten?"

Xanthe sighed as she dropped the infrared spectrometer onto the cart. "I'd be lying if I said I was entirely comfortable with it," she said as she started unplugging the parts of the mass spectrometer. "But…I've accepted that without any hope of my wings healing, there's little I can do to protect people in Felarya anymore. And even as a fully-powered Crimson Maiden, I couldn't do the things Dr. Brennan does. No one in Felarya can. We _need_ them, Remus. We need to make sure Felarya doesn't get any more dangerous than it has to be."

"So we just take whatever we feel we need?" Remus asked in a heavy tone. "Isn't that how predators back in Felarya feel? Isn't that what we tried to…explain to Milly was wrong?"

Xanthe stared back at Remus as she wheeled the mass spectrometer out of Hodgins's office, at a loss for words. Thankfully, Isham walked p outside the door to distract them. "Electrophoresis thingie, sodium dodecyl sulfate, PCR machine, micropipeters…OK, I think I've swiped everything Dr. Saroyan needs to do DNA and tox tests. You two got everything we need from this office?"

Xanthe looked to Remus, who could only shrug his shoulders. "We think so," Xanthe said at length. "Is everyone else ready to go?"

"Léa's levitated the six of them over to the mirror, and Elia and Calina have already wheeled the other carts over there, too," said Isham. "Let's not risk overstaying our welcome."

An uneasy silence lingered over the three of them as they wheeled the last bit of pilfered gear over to the Aztec exhibit. The haunted, abandoned feel of the museum at night didn't help anyone's mood. Remus noticed all the historical displays. The humans of this world certainly had an interesting history. But theirs was a world with no nagas, harpies and fairies to prey on them. Would Dr. Brennan be able to adapt to a world where humans were most certainly not on top?

Finally, they made it to the Aztec exhibit, where Léa, Calina and Elia were waiting. They had already begun sending equipment back to Felarya. Elia had just shoved a loaded cart up a ramp and through the obsidian mirror when she noticed them. "Oh, Isham, is that the last of their gear? Are we finally ready to go back?"

Isham took a look at everything he, Xanthe and Remus had wheeled in, then glanced at the unconscious forensic team, slumped against the far wall. "As ready as we'll ever be. We sent the signal through the mirror hours ago, so our pickup should be waiting at the Ur-Sagol gate." Isham never took his eyes off of Brennan and her team. "So we're really about to do it. Drag a bunch of unsuspecting humans to Felarya who are blissfully ignorant of the place, including a baby. Isn't it bad enough how many people get sucked there _by accident_?"

Clearly, Remus and Xanthe weren't the only ones with reservations. Strangely, Remus was the one who spoke up. "We don't have much choice, Isham. Negav needs to find a killer, a lot of our friends need to find a killer…and Jora's old friend finds killers."

"But in many ways, some of our friends back home could be called 'killers' themselves," Elia pointed out delicately.

Silence fell over them, each of them quietly acknowledging that arguing about it further would do no good. Things had already gone too far. Xanthe pushed the mass spectrometer's main unit through the mirror, just as Léa slung Angela over her shoulder. Without a word, she stepped up to the mirror and stepped through. Calina held onto Michael, who was still crying, as she slung her father over her shoulder and followed Léa.

Remus and Isham pushed their carts through the mirror just as Elia and Xanthe walked up, dragging the coroner and psychologist up to it. Doubt and guilt were etched on their faces as they then dragged them through the mirror.

"It's just us two, now," said Isham as he bent to pick up Dr. Brennan. It looked to be easy for him. For a guy who used to be a playwright, Isham was stronger than he looked. There was a lot about Isham that was enigmatic. He had known Milly longer, and their relationship was…complicated. What other surprises would Isham have for him?

Isham stepped through the mirror with Brennan, leaving Remus alone with Booth. "Leave the biggest bloke for me, thanks," he muttered dejectedly. Even worse, Booth was stirring. Remus had to get him through the mirror now, or risk another slugfest. He slung Booth's arm over his shoulder and hoisted him over to the mirror. Booth grunted, and Remus instinctively knew he was just awakening. "Hopefully you're less stubborn than you look, secret agent man. I _strongly _suggest you hang on and don't struggle, lest you get lost in some OTHER pocket between dimensions…."

"Who're…what…REMUS!? Where's Bones!? Where's…." Booth spluttered. But Remus hurled both of them into the mirror. Booth didn't even have time to scream in surprise as they passed through solid volcanic rock. Remus held onto Booth with all his strength, refusing to let the poor bastard meet his end before even _SETTING FOOT_ in Felarya. Bursts of bright light went off around them in between bouts of pitch blackness, as they were hurled across the gaps between worlds….

And then, finally, they were spat out the other side. Remus finally let Booth go as they tumbled across the stone platform in front of Ur-Sagol's dimensional gate. For a moment, they both lay on their backs, worn out by the bizarre experience, simply basking in the gentle sunlight coming down from whatever sun was now shining over Felarya. "Whew, welcome to Felarya, Agent Booth," Remus got out in between exhausted gasps. "Hope you survive the experience."

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Consciousness slowly but surely came back to Temperance Brennan. Being one who prided herself for swiftly bringing order to her chaotic thoughts, by the time her eyes fluttered open, everything was rushing back. Remus and Xanthe, this place called 'Felarya' where a fairy killer was on the loose, her old debt to Jora Fenderen…. And that girl with the staff…some sort of light shot out at her and Booth…was that some sort of magic?

_Magic…I'll need a bit more concrete evidence before I can accept such a thing exists. Examining 'fairy' wings…wasn't quite enough,_ Temperance thought to herself. As she tried to sit up, several joints screaming in protest, she became dimly aware of…sunlight? "Wait a minute…have I been unconscious for half a day?" Temperance thought aloud. Then she realized it wasn't only sunlight she was feeling, but a stiff breeze…one that didn't carry a hint of car exhaust. Clearly, she had been taken far from the Jeffersonian. To some of the wilderness around the capital, perhaps? Or…was this Felarya for real?

Temperance finally sat up and looked around. She wasn't alone. Her friends were also just coming to, and it was with no small sense of indignation that Temperance saw some of their kidnappers fussing over them. All except that brown-haired girl with the staff. She strode away from everyone, staff raised as she looked upward, as if her kidnapping victims regaining consciousness was of no concern. Temperance briefly considered tackling the girl while her back was turned, but decided it was more prudent to figure out just where they were.

Looking up, Temperance saw what could only be described as a vertical stone ring, at least a hundred feet in diameter. She sat right where it jutted out from the ground, on some elaborate tiled platform, fixed to a wide stone ramp. For a moment, Temperance was overwhelmed by its breathtaking elegance, all its fine details. In all her time as an anthropologist, Temperance had never seen anything quite like it, on any scale.

"It's a dimensional gate, the one near Ur-Sagol," she heard Xanthe say, as if that would mean something to her. "We were lucky enough to find out it could connect to a big obsidian mirror in your museum. We…should be able to connect to it again without a problem, once you nab Shandra's killer for us."

"I don't know how you fairies handle things in this Felarya, but if you wanna get trained experts to do commission work, swiping a baby and then dragging them here by force isn't the way to go," spat Booth.

"Fairies? Felarya?" came Camille's grumbling voice. "Seeley, what's going on? Where are we? Hold on…that girl with the staff…."

"Get your paws or whatever OFF MY SON!" Temperance heard Hodgins bellowing a few yards away.

"Go on, take him!" spat the woman called Calina, the one with 'cat ears' that looked disturbingly real. "And here I thought all those Alsumi kids were a handful. I swear…."

"Is it too much to ask that no one makes too much noise until our pickup arrives?" said Léa, her calm voice in stark contrast to the emotional outbursts of Temperance's friends. "How to stay silent is a lesson you six need to learn quickly, if you wish to survive in Felarya."

"Survive in Fel-what?" demanded Sweets. "Dr. Brennan, who the hell is that? These people…do they know you? Do they want us to work for them or something? What's going on?"

"There's someone here in…their world…who I once met and I owe a debt. Apparently, she wants me to help track down whoever killed a certain…fairy," Temperance explained quickly, as if breezing through what she knew would make it sound less outlandish.

"OK Temp, Tinkerbell's extended family is sort of outside the FBI's jurisdiction," snorted Angela. "Now, why don't you tell us what's REALLY going on, and…."

A low rumble cut Angela off. Then there was another light tremor, this one closer. Their kidnappers stiffened, and Léa whirled in the direction of the sound. They relaxed, however, when Calina sniffed the air and said, "At ease, troops. They're friendlies."

"'Friendlies?'" repeated Camille, dubious. "What's that supposed to mean? What kind of person can make noise like that?"

"Someone who…looks like a slightly younger version of you, actually," said Xanthe sheepishly, who then turned to Temperance. "Brace yourself, doctor. You handled seeing my mangled wings, but…if you want to get anywhere in Felarya, you need to be able to handle what's coming next."

Temperance scowled at Xanthe, not sure what she meant by that. But another rumble made Temperance look up, and it was followed by the snapping of trees. Temperance stared over at the borders of the forest that surrounded this 'dimensional gate', and saw a couple trees that were at least a hundred feet tall creak and bend….

Meeting a fairy and being whisked away to what might be another world…that had already pushed Temperance's rational mind to the limit. Could this 'dimensional gate' do as Xanthe claimed? Her field was anthropology, not theoretical physics, so Temperance couldn't say. But what came out of that forest defied half the scientific principles she knew.

It was a dark-skinned woman…who stood at least a hundred feet tall!

The giantess spotted the crowd and made her way over to the gate. Some of Temperance's friends noticed her approach and began to panic. Temperance, however, was rooted to the spot. Not out of fear, but because such a thing _COULD NOT EXIST_, no matter what her eyes told her.

"Everyone just cool it," said Remus sternly in that strange Scottish accent. "Milly here…some of us have a complicated history with her, sure. But you have absolutely nothing to fear from her, trust us."

"Yeah, trust the whackbags that kidnapped us from D.C. and dumped us in the Village of the Giants…sure thing!" snapped Hodgins.

Milly was now standing beside the gate, and while their kidnappers seemed unperturbed, Temperance's friends were warily retreating to the other side of the platform, never taking their eyes off of her. "Bones, get away from her!" Booth demanded. But Temperance simply could not move. Her mind still refused to register Milly as for real.

The giantess slowly knelt down, flashing what she probably hoped was a reassuring smile. "So…you must be Dr. Temperance Brennan, Jora's old friend. It's nice to meet you. I'm Milly, and I'm going to help get you all someplace safe."

Hardly any of that registered in Temperance's mind. She was still staring dumbly up at Milly's billboard-sized face, her kind words having no effect. "Y-Y-You c-can't exist, you-you're…impossible…."

Milly's head tilted to the side, a confused look on her face. "Uhhh, excuse me? What do you mean by that?"

"A-An organism with h-human physiology…can't possibly have that much height and m-mass!" stammered Temperance. "The Square-Cube Law…you should be keeling over from heat-stroke if you live in that jungle, assuming that your bones simply don't shatter from being forced to support all your mass!"

Milly stared down at Temperance for a moment, looking bemused. Then she let out a light chuckle. "I've heard about this Square-Cube Law before. I'm not quite sure why it never applies to predators like me here in Felarya. Jora's not too far behind, so maybe we can ask her."

"Uhhh, Temp, think it might be a good idea to back away from Cam's freaky giant clone?" asked Angela delicately.

"And this Jora Fenderen…where the hell is she?" demanded Booth.

Temperance was dimly aware of more rumbling right before another booming voice rang out. "Right up here, Dr. Brennan," said a familiar voice. Temperance tilted her head to look past Milly's huge face and noticed there was _ANOTHER_ giantess standing right behind her. Only this one…looked just like her old acquaintance from Germany! She lacked her lab coat, only wearing her green top and skirt, and her expression lacked that youthful eagerness Temperance remembered from their run-in years ago. But this was unmistakably Jora…only she had ballooned to this Milly's height!

"THIS is Jora Fenderen?" cried Booth incredulously. "Somehow Bones, if you were all chummy with Nancy Archer's little sister, I think it would've been in the papers…."

Temperance only half-heard Booth, too transfixed by the sight of TWO impossibly tall women, one of which once had to look UP at her! "J-J-Jora? Y-You can't be Jora…how it is possible to grow to such a height!?"

Jora had knelt down beside Milly, and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm still working that out. One minute I'm back at Folandor Laboratories, working out an algorithm that'll unlock whatever secrets this artifact had. Then I wake up here, after packing on quite a few metric tons."

"So all these years…you've been here?" asked Temperance, dubiousness oozing from her. "And how come you can speak perfect English now? You didn't speak a word of English when we met that night at the University of Cologne."

Shrugging her shoulders again, Jora said, "It's another one of those things about Felarya, just like how folks like me aren't crushed by their sheer mass. Spoken languages are understood by everyone, magically translated somehow. I honestly have no clue how it works."

Jora's lackadaisical attitude was bringing Temperance out of her confused stupor. Jora was offering very little in the way of concrete data, yet she expected her to simply help track a killer on her say-so, after having them dragged to this Felarya against their will? Old debt or not, this was pushing it.

Milly must have sensed Temperance's growing reluctance. "Dr. Brennan, please, I know how strange this must all seem. I've…met humans from your world transported here by accident…." There was a pause. Temperance knew Milly was choosing her words carefully, but why? "But as you can see, even those who've lived in Felarya a long time…some things escape our understanding. A-A-And getting clues from a dead body…none of us can do that. You're…the only one any of us know of that can."

Temperance looked back at all her friends dragged to this alien world with her, and at all the equipment pilfered from the Jeffersonian. "But you've obviously realized that my expertise alone is never enough to solve murder cases. And that I need a multitude of sophisticated diagnostic equipment to do it," said Temperance, a caustic bite to her voice. Temperance wanted to laugh to herself. Why was she talking so defiantly to two women who could swat her like a mosquito?

"Dr. Brennan, again, I'm really sorry we had to drag you halfway across the multiverse. But there's things going on here that would take a while to explain," said Jora. "It's not just one fairy. We think her murder is connected to a slew of human deaths in Negav, a city that's fixing to rip itself apart as a result. As for Shandra herself, we're sure you won't object to getting justice for her, since she never, uhhh…n-n-never…."

Temperance raised an eyebrow, feeling daring again. There was definitely something these two were holding back, and she wasn't agreeing to anything until they confessed what it was. "Both of you are afraid to admit something. Considering both of you are at least eighteen times our size and completely unencumbered by your sheer bulk, it's clearly something significant, and most likely something that would make us even _more _reluctant. And I think I speak for all of us when I say we're not going anywhere until you tell us what it is."

"And who says you don't have a knack for psychology, Dr. Brennan?" added Sweets, finally finding his voice.

"Both of you, actually," quipped Angela.

Jora's reluctance was a palpable thing, and Milly let out a deep sigh. "I suppose there's no getting around it," said Milly, sounding defeated. "Felarya is notoriously inhospitable to humans. So sorry to be blunt, but you actually _do_ want us to get you out of the open, because…."

Milly was cut off by a cheerful, singsong voice. Judging by the volume intensity, it had to be another giant being. "Hey Milly, Jora! We hit the jackpot, as some humans say! Guess how many just landed in the traps I set up!?"

Once again, bewilderment took hold of Temperance. Craning her neck up even further, she saw what looked like a HUGE fairy! One with odd, pinkish skin, undamaged butterfly-style wings, a dazzling array of body art, teal hair, and…antlers growing out of her head!?

Seeing a fairy towering over a hundred feet tall, at this point, was something Temperance could live with. She prided herself on her ability to quickly adapt. But what she doubted ANYONE could numb themselves to was what this giant fairy _DID_ in front of them. In one hand, she was clutching a group of struggling, pleading people, and one by one she was popping them into her mouth…and swallowing them alive!

Once again, Temperance was rooted to the spot, numb with shock and disbelief. Judging by the reactions she heard from those behind her, however, Temperance realized she was handling it better than her friends. Angela, Sweets and Camille screamed, and she heard Booth draw his weapon, for all the good it would do. Their kidnappers' reactions were more muted. Many of them simply grumbled, and Xanthe muttered, "Really, Melany. _Really!?_"

Jora and Milly, likewise, looked horribly uncomfortable. Jora had facepalmed, while Milly's eyes went wide. Disgust was not etched in Milly's features, however, but merely disbelief. As if Melany had simply done this at the worst possible moment. Rooted to the spot, Milly whispered through gritted teeth. "Melany, please, put the rest of the humans down and walk away. Just…walk away."

Melany's deceptively friendly face turned to look down at the gate platform. Her expression brightened even more. "Oh, these must be those humans that can figure out stuff from dead bodies! My, they look tasty too!"

Now it was Milly who facepalmed, while Jora repeatedly smacked her forehead against the ground, making tremors that finally knocked Temperance off her feet.

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Jora knew convincing Dr. Brennan and her team wouldn't be easy, but Melany's atrocious timing made things infinitely more awkward. Those who came to Felarya despite knowing the dangers…they have it coming. But humans dragged into Felarya on purpose…it wasn't too much to ask that they SLOWLY get eased into things, right?

Though she didn't consider herself a violent person, Jora wanted nothing more than to pulp Melany right then and there. But that was out of the question, because one, Brennan's team witnessing a monster movie smackdown would undoubtedly make things even worse. And two, they needed Melany to carry all of the, well, _'borrowed' _equipment back to the Giant Tree, along with dropping off the Safe Harbor residents. Best friend or not, Jade wouldn't look too kindly on losing four of her people on Jora's watch.

Melany departed almost as soon as she appeared, but Jora and Milly still had to convince their…'guests' that they shouldn't march right back through the gate and go home. Dr. Brennan, as Jora expected, was open to reason, though Jora really had to rack her brains to come up with suitable answers to Brennan's razor-sharp rejoinders. Bargaining with humans…wasn't exactly a skill she practiced these days. Jora laughed inwardly at the irony. All this time adapting to life as a Felaryan predator, and still she had to kiss up to the intellectual elite from back home. In a way, this one human who owed her…actually had all the power. _Exactly what has changed for me?_ Jora wondered.

So after many agonizing minutes, Jora convinced Dr. Brennan to at least _LOOK_ at Shandra's corpse, and then she could decide what to do next. For a while, the only other human willing to go along with Brennan was this Agent Booth. Still, he never lowered his gun until they were underway. Guns couldn't kill her, but Jora wanted to avoid getting shot in the eye. It would sting like mad for hours.

And then it was a chore just to get these humans to hitch a ride on them! As if they could keep up on the way to the tree with Shandra's dead body…let alone survive the trip! But eventually, they were underway. Angela, Hodgins and their son rode on Milly's shoulder, along with Sweets, while Jora carried Booth, Brennan and Camille on hers.

The humans more or less resigned themselves to the weird turn of events, and as Temi predicted, they thankfully seemed willing to go along with what Brennan wanted…to a point. Jora made a mental note not to push any of them too hard. She was certain Milly was thinking the same thing, considering those first few days with Isham.

Awkward silence hung over them all as Jora and Milly moved through Tolmeshal Forest, which suited Jora just fine. All the better for listening for the innumerable dangers in Felarya: kensha beasts, tonorions, Malika….

It was too good to last, however. Jora heard Sweets speak more sternly than would be expected of the meek-looking psychologist. "So Milly, I couldn't help but notice your expression back there when Melany showed up."

Jora saw Milly's eyes widen a little. "You got me, Dr. Sweets. I have no idea what Melany was thinking, but then again, fairy logic tends to be elusive…."

"But your expression, it was one of embarrassment, not horror," Sweets pointed out. "Almost as if…you're fine with 'predators' in this world eating sapient beings, but got caught off-guard by the timing."

Jora didn't like where this was going. This young doctor was too clever for his own good.

Milly sighed. "No wonder Temi thought Dr. Brennan would need you."

"So, do you….'yknow, do that too?" asked Hodgins delicately. Jora had a mental image of the botanist holding Michael a little tighter.

After another long sigh, Milly finally said. "Yes, but nowhere near as much as I used to. If you see Remus or Isham again, feel free to ask them yourself, if you think I'm lying."

Milly figured that would settle it, knowing her. Still, Sweets pressed on. "So, these eating habits…you're comfortable with them. I would guess that it's a practice you've done since you were young, and thus see no problem with it. Desensitization."

_Yeah, this kid is good,_ thought Jora. _Now be smart and put that analytical mind to use solving Shandra's murder instead._

"You could say that. For me, it was never anything…complicated," said Milly. "Then Isham came along, and then Remus had me…look at things from another perspective. So these days, I make use of a garden, use tricks Jade taught me to catch other prey…. Look, the point is…."

"The point is that there's no point proselytizing to Milly," Jora cut in. "Milly was always fine with how she carved out a place in Felarya's ecosystem, but humans she's known a lot longer and much better convinced her to switch up her dietary habits. That's as much as Milly is willing to change. So just…leave it at that…."

"Wow, touch a nerve, maybe? That was some spirited defense," said Booth dryly.

Jora then realized her blunder. Before, these humans would naturally assume she abstained from eating their kind, since she was once one of them. Now, they were suspicious. "It's just…having close friends who've helped me get preached to…it gets old fast," said Jora quickly.

_Hang on a minute. Why am I so worried about what they all think of me?_ Jora wondered. The obvious answer was their willingness to take this case if they knew the truth about her. But was there more to it than that? The thought of Dr. Brennan learning of her own hunting habits…it suddenly made Jora feel uncomfortable. _But why should it!? This was something I settled long ago. Dr. Brennan and her team…they can't judge Milly and they ESPECIALLY can't judge me! Can they honestly say they wouldn't have made the decisions I made, if one of them had activated that artifact!?_

Thankfully, Jora had the perfect way to change the subject. They were coming up to a familiar tree with canopies of thick leaves, the perfect place to hide something from watchful eyes. "At any rate, we're at the murder scene. Sweets, I hope you're just as good as getting clues from dead predators as you are live ones."

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Temperance stayed quiet the whole trip. Mere words would fail to convey how absurd she found this whole situation. What was there to say when an old acquaintance of yours asked for help…but she's become a gargantuan monster and now lives in some unfathomable fantasy world? Yes, fantasy…there was no other way to describe a place where 100-foot tall humanoid beings could _EXIST_, let alone _MOVE_. Temperance thought nothing could break her, not after learning the truth about her father and thwarting the Gravedigger at every turn. But an hour in this Felarya nearly turned her mind inside-out.

For that first hour, all Temperance had to cling to was this all involved a murder. THAT was something she could handle. Death was her specialty. And in a world with a vast, complicated food web, where predation that left no corpses was the norm, her familiarity with death was invaluable.

She could just solve this case like any other. Right?

That was what Temperance kept telling herself, and almost didn't hear when Jora said they had arrived. Looking ahead, Temperance saw Jora was approaching a tree so huge, its lowest-lying branch was level with the giantesses' shoulders. "This is where you all get off," said Jora, getting her shoulders as close as possible, so they could jump off. "Your murder victim…is just beyond that thick cover of leaves."

Temperance remained silent as she jumped down. Her hand touched the bark as she steadied herself. The bark felt as it should: dry, rough and solid. So some things could be counted on this mad world. Still, Temperance hesitated, her willingness to examine the corpse suddenly ebbing. Then, a cheerful voice rang out from behind the leafy curtain. "Oh come on, it's not like this tree is really a dryad or anything! It's safe to come over!"

Not wanting to think about what 'dryad' would mean in Felarya, Temperance took the plunge and stepped through the leaves. On the other side there stood a fairy at her height, this one in clothes that made her look like some amateur archaeologist. "So, you're this 'anthropologist' everyone keeps talking about! The name's Subeta, by the way." In a flash, the orange-haired fairy grabbed her hand and shook it. Temperance just stared dumbly at Subeta's glove.

"Careful, Subeta. I suggest you keep back. You can never predict how humans will react to fairies when they're confused and scared. Shandra's fate is probably further proof." The voice was high-pitched like the other two fairies Temperance met, but with a frosty edge. Looking past Subeta, Temperance saw another fairy approach, this one naked with brown spots lining her arms and legs. Ice-blue eyes glowered at Temperance from under a curtain of brown, bushy hair. "So, you're the one who can get dead bodies to cough up their secrets," said the other fairy. "You don't seem like anything special. I've seen hundreds of humans just like you wind up in Felarya, and almost all of them met the same fate."

As more of Temperance's friends walked through the leaves and into the murder scene, Jora muttered from beyond it. "Oh great, I had no idea Lily was one of the fairies looking after the crime scene. Dr. Brennan, just…ignore her. She's like that with _EVERY_ human."

"Ohhhhhhh no, I won't be brushed aside so easily," spat Lily as she stormed toward Temperance. Temperance heard Booth draw his gun again, but Lily ignored him. Lily shoved Subeta aside and grabbed Temperance's arm. She suddenly felt queasy from Lily's touch. "No one is poking and prodding Shandra's body until I'm certain that…."

Maybe Lily's iciness was the ice water in the face that Temperance needed, maybe it was just Lily being threatening. But whatever the reason, Lily helped snap Temperance out of her mental stupor. Temperance grabbed Lily's wrist and pried her hand off, then twisted her hips to launch a side kick into her ribs. Before Lily could even finish her scream, Temperance twirled around and sunk her elbow into Lily's gut, and followed up by smashing the back of her fist into Lily's nose.

As Lily crumpled onto the branch, clutching her nose and her chest, Subeta looked down at her and smirked. "Wow, Lily. Guess you needed to take your own advice."

"OK, we're an hour into our stint into a lethal fantasy world, and Dr. Brennan managed to royally piss off only _ONE _potentially dangerous local. We're rollin' along just fine," said Camille sarcastically.

Then came a third voice that sounded like it belonged to _another_ fairy. Subeta sounded cheery, Lily sounded frosty, but this one…had a serious edge to it, yet there was unmistakable mischievousness below the surface. "Yes, Lily is quite the standoffish one. Given her…past experiences with humanity, it's not wholly unjustified. Still, I hope she understands the importance of having you six…errr, I mean seven here. Aw, what a cute baby…."

Tearing her eyes from the fairy she floored, Temperance saw a fairy their size with butterfly-style wings like Melany's, and whose body was also adorned with odd markings. Tiger stripes went up and down her arms and legs. The fairy's antennae twitched and her long, purplish hair flowed as she walked toward them.

"And you are?" Booth asked nervously, but he was eyeing Lily as she stood back up, who glared at Temperance indignantly.

The new fairy walked over to Temperance. Temperance was on her guard, in case she pulled anything, but somehow she moved swiftly enough to sidle up and throw an arm around her shoulder. "Hopefully not the only one here who wants more from you than figuring out who killed Shandra, Dr. Brennan," said the fairy brightly.

After Temperance got over her shock, she was about to flip the fairy and knock her on her naked ass. But she obviously sensed what was coming, and swiftly moved out of reach. "Oh, silly me. How quickly I forget about humans and their personal space," said the fairy. "As Lily will no doubt tell you, I'm quite fond of humans, just…not in the way most fairies are. But even after spending decades with them and learning…well, I guess it truly is impossible to know everything."

"OK, not to be rude, but this has been a weird day for everyone involved, obviously," said Booth. He had lowered his gun, but Temperance could tell by his tensed muscles that he hadn't exactly backed down. "Again, just…who are you, now?"

The fairy chuckled. "Again, that stubborn knowledge gap when it comes to human mannerisms. Do forgive me. My name is Exona," she said with a bow. "Shandra was a good friend of mine, and I wish to help in any way I can."

Temperance stared at Exona for a moment. At least here was fairy that didn't see them as food (or so she claimed), but she seemed far more interested in learning about humans and how she solved murders than learning who killed her friend. _But her lust for knowledge, living for the pursuit of it…I guess I'm not so different._

Lily was back on her feet, looking thunderous, but Exona turned and narrowed her eyes at her while smiling. That seemed to get Lily to back off. Silence lingered for a few seconds, but then Camille spoke up. "Not to interrupt what I'm sure will be a long lasting friendship, but…any chance we can look the dead fairy and get out of here?"

Exona chuckled again. "Right to the heart of the matter. What's the human word? Workaholic?" quipped Exona. She stepped aside and pointed to a smaller branch several yards away, jutting upwards. Temperance instantly saw the decaying body slumped against it. Again, it struck her how the only thing familiar in this insane world Jora dragged them into was a decaying corpse. It wasn't until Temperance stood right over it did she realize, however, it was unlike any body she'd ever examined. The wings were still attached, dull and chalky, whereas once their sheen could've been spotted a long way off.

"Be grateful for the little things. Our next job involves the weird, perverted stuff Frodo hid under his bed in the Shire, but at least the dead body is in less pieces than our last one," said Angela.

"I don't know what that means." Exona had said it the exact same time at Temperance, and they both stared at each other awkwardly.

"So…how long ago was…the victim found?" asked Booth, his eagerness to get to work also palpable.

Temperance could feel Lily's eyes boring into their backs. "I found Shandra about five days ago. That's when Jora got the idea to schlep the lot of you here."

"Only five days to find the best crimesolving team in all the universe, and send out a gang of kidnappers across it to grab them? Industrious _big _buggers, aren't you?" jabbed Hodgins.

Temperance paid them no mind, instead focusing on the dead fairy in front of her. If not for the wings and the drooping antennae, it would have been indistinguishable from any corpse she had examined in the past. But the victim not being human didn't matter. At that moment. Tempereance doubt it would have even mattered if this fairy abstained from eating her kind, as everyone claimed.

Temperance's life was one based upon evaluating cold hard evidence, and putting absolute trust in her own intellect. No jumping to conclusions, no banking on instinct. Yet every time Temperance was faced with another dead body, it sparked something inside her. Whenever a body was found like this, Temperance sensed the deceased had secrets that had to be told. The sciences were how she deciphered those secrets, but something inside her always drove Temperance to apply them…

And Temperance couldn't recall the last time that feeling was as strong as when she knelt before this fairy.

"Dr. Brennan," she heard Camille say. Looking up, Temperance saw her offering a box of rubber gloves, something she held onto while Melany took everything else to this 'Giant Tree'. Temperance stared at the box for a moment, then, after making her decision, ripped it open to take out a pair.

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Lily didn't know what hurt more: her ribs, her gut, her nose…or her pride. To think a human could catch her flatfooted like that! Oh, this Temperance Brennan would be sprouting leaves by now if everyone didn't insist they needed her so bad. Still, if any of these humans pushed her too far….

Another thing that vexed her was how amicable Exona was toward these humans. They knew nothing about fairies, or Felarya in general…could any of them be trusted to not try anything stupid while they were their size, the moment their backs were turned? This one called Booth hadn't hesitated to draw his weapon. Yet Exona seemed ready to invite these buggers to stay at her haunt in Kortiki Town!

Lily had been glaring at Exona so long, she failed to notice Brennan kneeling beside Shandra. The dark-skinned human, the one who looked eerily like Milly…she offered Brennan a box with these weird blue gloves….

Lily wasn't sure how she knew, but when Temperance Brennan put on those gloves and started running her hands over Shandra's remains, Lily realized a line was crossed. There was no turning back for this human. For better or worse, the humans just threw in with them.

"Judging from the width of pelvic girdle and the shape of the mandible, the victim is definitely female. If the victim were human, the facial bones would indicate some Caucasian features," Brennan said to no one in particular. This human's cold, methodical way of doing things was infuriating Lily all over again. This was a fellow fairy, and this human was rambling about Shandra as if she were just another archaeological find! Lily's ire rose even more when Brennan ran hands over the exposed ribs, then pried Shandra's mouth open. Some maggots crawled out onto Brennan's fingers, but she shoved them back inside, unperturbed. "Odd…I'm having a little trouble narrowing down age from the victim's dentition and level of fusion of the manubrium."

Lily snorted, ready to…oh, what was the term these humans used? 'School' this Dr. Brennan about how things in Felarya worked? But Exona beat Lily to it. "That may have to do with Felarya's affect on certain living things. Did…no one explain how Felarya's magic affects the immune systems of some animals?"

"Well, Bones was a little too hung up on the how-can-hundred-foot-behemoths-not-get-crushed-by-their-weight thing to ask," said Booth delicately.

Exona smiled and nodded. "We…can get into that later. But for now, it's important to know that the ambient magic in Felarya's soil affects certain beings. In essence, enhancing their immune systems. Injuries like broken bones and lacerations heal at a faster rate in Felarya, and even faster if you're touching the ground. It's one of the few things here that can entice humans. This also makes most animals more or less immortal."

These 'Jeffersonians' were taken aback by that, as if rethinking their reluctance to take this 'case'. Lily snorted again. Dangle some shiny object in front of humans, appeal to their greed, and they'll always dance.

Booth rubbed his lower back. "So…if I stick around here, my back problems may just…fix themselves?"

"And what about my pregnancy?" Brennan asked, suddenly sounding concerned. "How will this affect our child?"

"Well, unless you get run through by a tonorion, I don't think you have anything to worry about," said Exona. "In fact, the longer you stay here, and not get eaten, the better health your baby will have upon being born."

"The ultimate prenatal care, just from sitting around converting oxygen to carbon dioxide. Where was this sweet deal during my pregnancy?" Angela sniped.

Brennan turned back to Shandra's corpse. "But in the meantime, it makes determining the victim's age far too complicated. And somehow, I doubt fairies keep dental records, or use any surgical implants we can track through serial numbers."

_What's this human blabbing about!? This HAS to be Shandra!_ Lily fumed inwardly. She told herself she shouldn't be surprised. Humans could be insufferably fastidious about certain things, and identifying people beyond any doubt obviously was one of them.

While Lily racked her brains for something to satisfy Brennan's curiosity and get the anthropologist to move on, Angela spoke up. "This is where I come in. After piecing together that violinist's face after it was introduced to a train, I'm due for a facial reconstruction I can breeze through."

Lily stared at Angela. "A…'facial reconstruction?'" she repeated dubiously.

"Yeah, Sunshine. It's what I do. Of course, without the Angelatron, I'll have to do it the old-fashioned way. But if I can't do a sketch of the victim's face with so much muscle still intact…I'll eat my husband," said Angela.

"Yeah, well…HEY!" cried Hodgins.

Booth clasped his hands together. "OK, now we're getting things moving," he said, eager to change the subject. "So, who's up next?"

Camille and Hodgins knelt down beside Brennan. "Good thing this weird immune-boosting aura doesn't work AFTER death," mused Camille. "Judging from tissue decomp, and given how this body was isolated from larger carrion eaters and mostly insulated…I'd estimate time of death to be nine to eleven days ago."

Hodgins snapped on some gloves. "But don't forget, we're on some alien world. There's so many variables we don't know about. What's the average humidity here? What's acceleration due to gravity? What sort of new microorganisms will be involved in decomp? What kind of awesome new bugs are just waiting to be…."

"Just figure out how your new bug friends can give us time of death, will you?" snapped Booth.

Hodgins ignored Booth as he ran his fingers through Shandra's stringy, clumpy hair. It was getting harder for Lily to just watch as these humans poked and prodded all that remained of her friend. "There's probably an assload of pollen and insect parts I can isolate just from her hair," he said at length. "But like I said, the problem is that I have no data whatsoever on the flora and fauna of this world. I got nothing to cross-reference any findings with."

"That can be fixed," said Exona brightly. "Again, I'd like to help in any way I can. I guess I could be the most use as a liaison between you six and any friendly predators, especially the fairies. I could organize a whole squad of fairies to scour all of Felaryaand collect samples of anything you need."

"Soil samples, water samples, pollen samples…and that's just the beginning," said Brennan absentmindedly. She was still touching at staring at all the places where the flesh rotted off, exposing bone. Lily wondered just what Brennan hoped to find.

"I'm sure we can round up enough fairies for the job. I'm sure they'll all be willing to lend a hand." Exona glanced over at Lily and flashed a teasing, wry smile. Lily could only glower back at her.

"That won't help me much. I'd need a database of all the common toxins and drugs used in Felarya, along with a database to compare any DNA results I get," said Camille. "My only consolation is that most of the organs are intact, and I'll have no shortage of tissue to work with."

"Long story short, all the squinty stuff is gonna take a bit longer to make sense of. Fine," Booth cut in. "In the meantime, let's try to figure out some other things." He looked over to Lily. "Did it seem like Shandra was having any trouble lately? Did she mention having problems with anyone? Anyone who would want to hurt her, anyone maybe mad enough to kill?"

"Of course not!" snapped Lily. "Shandra could never hurt anyone, not even humans! That's part of the reason she never eats your kind!"

"But if she had human friends, she probably wouldn't tell you about them, knowing your reaction," said the skinny, boyish human Lily heard was called Sweets. Lily had to smirk at the irony in that name. "Given how vast everyone says Felarya is, and how you fairies seem to go off on your own often, it's possible she had human contacts no one knew about."

"Which makes our chances of finding a fairy killer even more remote, which were already slim, considering there's a good chance he was eaten already. Joy," added Camille.

Booth kept his gaze fixed on Lily, but then turned to Sweets. "So, got anything else for us?"

"We already know this stretch of the forest was one of Shandra's getaway spots. The fact that she even came here would signify a great deal of distress on her part," said Sweets. "But I don't have enough data to work with. The other murders in this Negav…we know too little about those. And I need to be able to put myself in the victim's mindset, but…I-I-I was never trained to think like someone who's not even human, let alone someone with the potential to _EAT_ humans. And I doubt there are any resources on fairy psychology." Sweets occasionally cast glances at Lily, looking apologetic. Lily wasn't sure what to make of that, but somehow, she couldn't get as irate at Sweets as with the others.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that, Dr. Sweets," said Exona.

"There…are publications on fairy psychology?" asked Sweets.

Exona smiled. "Better. I know someone who's a living repository of anything related to fairies: Mezzus."

"Has anyone noticed a puncture mark near the proximal end of the victim's lower left…wing?" Brennan suddenly asked. It obviously took effort to get that last word out. Everyone stepped closer to Shandra's body, and sure enough, there was a slit right where Brennan had indicated.

"Hmmm, this could be how Shandra was incapacitated," said Exona.

"By not being able to fly?" asked Hodgins.

Lily sighed. "I guess you humans will find out eventually: a fairy's biggest weakness is the wings. If those get injured, our ability to harness magic is impaired, and forget shifting sizes."

"With my limited knowledge, it's impossible for me to tell if this injury was sustained perimortem or postmortem," Brennan went on. At least she admitted she didn't know everything. "I also see no evidence of defensive wounds along the ulnar lengths, but I'll need to examine the remains more closely to rule out defensive wounds on other sites."

"So…_where_ are we transporting the body, and more importantly, _how_?" asked Booth. "We'd have to remove this whole damn branch, which is the length of a hockey rink."

"And…we haven't exactly decided if we all want to stay in the creepy fantasy universe with giant man-eating ladies, have we?" Camille added.

"Security won't be an issue. At the Giant Tree, there's a plethora of predators who can easily protect all of you. Even the most notorious predator in Felarya is there, and she'd lay down her life without a second thought," said Exona. Unsurprisingly, that did little to assuage the humans' anxieties.

"And, well…I'm up for identifying a slew of new fungus and insect species," said Hodgins. "If this place is half as bizarre as everyone says it is, the papers I could write…."

_OK, so money and power isn't _ALL t_hat motivates these humans,_ Lily noted.

"And I wouldn't mind staying long enough to see if this voodoo dirt aura really DOES fix bad backs," said Booth. "But there's still the problem of getting this whole branch off this tree and transporting it to this giant one…."

Up until now, Subeta had stayed quiet. But that instantly changed. "Oh, that'll be easy!" Subeta flew off the branch. Then, right before the humans' astonished eyes, she swelled to her maximum size.

Brennan, in particular, looked horrified. Not because Subeta could now easily gobble them all up, but just from the act of size-shifting itself. No doubt it defied everything Brennan thought she knew. _Get used to it fast, Dr. Brennan, or you won't be much use to anyone here, human or fairy, _Lily thought to herself.

As if that weren't enough, Subeta raised her left arm, and slashed the air with her gloved hand. At once, the branch was severed from the tree, as if a giant, invisible sword had sliced it off. All the humans yelped as the branch began to fall, but Subeta caught it and flew up, heading back toward the Giant Tree.

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Felarya character credits:

Crisis, Anna Demorah, Temi, Léa, Lily, Belletia, Melany, and Subeta belong to Karbo

Milly, Isham, Elia, Calina and Pal Sebrit belong to FrenchSnack

Jora belongs to Ravana3K

Remus vir Patstriker and Xanthe belong to NickInAmerica

Katrika belongs to Zoekin3

Milia Moonlieth belongs to vaderaz

Exona, General Garrardo and Shandra belong to yours truly, Grey-X


	4. The Forensics Lab in the Foliage

Dynamic Equilibrium

a Bones/Felarya crossover

Chapter 4: The Forensics Lab in the Foliage

3-31-2013

by Greyman

Disclaimer: Bones and all related characters are the property of 20th Century Fox. Felarya is the creation and property of Karbo, and all associated characters are the property of their respective creators.

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It took Subeta only half an hour to carry the branch to this 'Giant Tree', but for Dr. Temperance Brennan, it seemed to stretch on for an eternity. She had worked in the rain forests of Hawaii, Madagascar and Brazil…and Felarya's forests were just as vast and lush, if not more so! It was breathtaking and mind-blowing on so many levels, and she suspected Dr. Hodgins was beside himself just trying to GUESS how many new plant species were below.

But as she clung to the branch's bark as Subeta sped on, Temperance had to remind herself that these forests were deathtraps for her. After Melany's…display, Jora and Milly had no choice but to cough up the cold, hard truth. The truth that half the plant species down there would find her easy prey, and a good number of those were even lethal to predators their size!

_A teeming forest that will have no human remains, with almost no evidence of lost civilizations that will be decipherable by me,_ Temperance mused. Felarya was inhospitable to her team in more ways than one. Even if there were no murders to solve, many of her skills as a forensic anthropologist would be useless. She would be ill-equipped to do research in a world where humans were constantly hunted, their remains digested by the absurdly huge predatory organisms here.

Temperance almost had to laugh at herself. Here she was in the middle of this hostile world, dependent on those same predators for protection, and all she dwelled on was how she could eke out a career here!

She cast one glance over at where the victim's remains were stuck to the branch, a grisly reminder of how she would do the most good here, before Subeta's booming yet cheerful voice rang out. "Attention passengers! We will be making our approach to the most northeastern part of the Giant Tree in approximately two minutes!"

At first, it struck Temperance as absurd, making note of the 'most northeastern part' of a tree. But as she brushed aside some leaves, it suddenly made sense. The tree that was rapidly coming into view was…beyond titanic! Any tree that could serve as a home for 100-foot predators had to be immense, but this was something else entirely! The trees in this 'Tolmeshal Forest' were already breathtakingly tall, but this thing was at least twenty times their height, to say nothing for its width! If Temperance hadn't already begun to feel weak and helpless in Felarya, the sight of that tree certainly would do it.

Subeta began their descent, carefully passing through a thick curtain of foliage. She fluttered down a little further, inside what could only be described as a small canyon within the tree! This tree was huge enough to house hills and valleys! "This is where all of you get off. I need to drop this branch off in the lab that's being set up for you, and it'll be tricky with passengers to worry about."

Temperance wordlessly obliged, jumping off onto one of the thick, wooden chords that lined this little canyon. The rest of her team followed suit. Exona and Lily hopped off as well. The latter had stayed silent for the entire trip, but her distrust and resentment still burbled to the surface.

"OK, not that I'm averse to working in the great outdoors, but don't you squints need a …cleaner environment for your work? A certainly level of sterility and stuff?" asked Booth delicately.

"Oh, I'm sure our own crack team of scientists took that into consideration when organizing your work area," said Exona brightly.

"Uhmm, your 'own crack team of scientists?" Angela repeated dubiously. "Do forgive this poor human's ignorance, but…if you've got Felarya scientists on speed dial, why kidnap us?"

"Because of unfamiliarity with studying human remains in Felarya, due to whatever power in Felarya that makes certain organisms practically immortal, and how the giant predators here leave no trace of their prey," said Temperance. She was shocked by how her usual, matter-of-fact way of talking still came so easily.

"But…isn't it a different story in Negav?" asked Sweets. "They must have some experience, from examining accident victims, mishaps with toxic chemicals, stuff like that. And I don't suppose any of you got hold of _those_ bodies?"

Lily glared at him. "You're…kidding, right? Not even _I_ am crazy enough to go anywhere near that city. And neither is Crisis."

"Yes, if there's one thing universally feared by all giant predators, it's having to get close to Negav," added Exona. Temperance thought she sensed a hint of resentment in Exona's voice, not just Lily's. "Here, follow us. We'll take you to where all your equipment is being set up."

They followed the fairies, walking along the long cord running against the wooden walls of the Giant Tree's interior. They worked their way over what could be only described as hills of wood, approaching a cliff of sorts. Temperance tepidly walked to the edge, wondering what else was in this dark expanse cut off from sunlight, when another billboard-sized face suddenly appeared in front of her. Like many other predators in Felarya, she had a cheery expression that belied her deadly potential. Huge, sparkling blue eyes gazed down at the anthropologist, and tendrils of blond hairs cascaded everywhere.

"Wow, so you're the humans from Jora's world!" she said brightly. Her gaze was like a curious child's, but Temperance knew this girl could be centuries old. "The name's Crisis, and I bet you've already been warned about me. But don't worry, as long as I'm around, you're all perfectly safe."

"'Crisis'…hang on, _YOU'RE_ the top predator in these parts!?" Camille demanded, echoing everyone's disbelief. This cheerful girl was actually the one most feared by their kind here?

Crisis smiled, seemingly oblivious to their unease. She stood up higher. Like many of the fairies, she wore no clothes. "Yeah, I've got a bit of a reputation. I hear the Delurans even use my name to scare their kids into listening to them." She seemed more uncomfortable about _how _she was used to scare children, not _why _she instilled terror in the first place. "But on the bright side, I hear I scare most predators, too. So no worrying about anyone else making a snack out of you in your sleep." Again, the way Crisis smiled when discussing such matters unnerved Temperance's friends to no end.

"Well, at least Brennan's old friend hooked us up with the biggest, baddest pred in the yard," said Hodgins. Judging by how Crisis still looked cheerful, she missed the jab about them all being kidnapped and essentially held prisoner, without actually agreeing to take their case.

"Still, do forgive us if we find it unlikely you can kick the ass of…" Angela began, but stopped when she looked down at the rest of Crisis. "Oh, never mind. You can't kick _ANYTHING_."

"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Temperance as she walked over to Angela, steeling herself. She thought she was ready for whatever outlandishness awaited her, but once again was taken aback. From Crisis's torso down, her body was that of a gigantic snake, with teal scales and sky-blue ring patterns! Bad enough that beings Crisis's size defied all laws of physics and anatomy, but here was someone whose very existence threatened to throw evolutionary theory out the window!

"Wow. Half-snake," was Booth's muted reply. "Lemme guess, you're trying to figure out how someone can be half-warm-blooded and half-cold-blooded, right?"

Temperance snorted. "I was more preoccupied with the internal anatomy of such an animal, particularly the skeletal structure. But I suppose what you mentioned is grounds for scientific inquiry as well."

Booth threw up his hands. "I try, Bones, I really do…."

"OK, giant chicks, size-changing fairies, and now giant snake-chicks. Half of them going buck nekkid. Glad I'm married and thus not even tempted," said Hodgins. Angela gave him what she once called a 'Yeah, right' look. The whole time, Crisis kept staring down at all of them with that excited, curious look of hers.

"Anyone besides me find it odd we're cool with being under the watchful eye of a giant snake-woman with a habit of popping people in her mouth like candy?" quipped Camille.

Temperance looked back up at Crisis. There was a bit of a hungry look in Crisis's eyes, and Temperance suspected she wasn't even aware of it. "Uhhh, the word for people like me is 'naga', actually," Crisis said sheepishly.

"Believe me, Dr. Saroyan, the same thought has crossed my mind more than once," came another voice, but this one booming like Crisis's. Temperance peered through the darkness induced by the sunlight-blocking foliage. There was another 'naga' slithering toward them. This one, however, wore some semblance of clothing. It was as if two large tarps with camo patterns were tied over her breasts and waist. She had short, pink hair and piercing golden eyes, similar to Exona's.

Temperance thought she saw herself in those eyes. Well, if this naga was close enough, she could LITERALLY see her reflection in her eyes. Rather, there was clearly an aloof, calculating intellect behind them.

"Love her or hate her, Crisis is handy to have around. That is, as long as you can keep her from touching your equipment," said the other naga. She then fixed Crisis with a steely gaze. "But Jora's friend isn't going to have to worry about that, is she?"

"Oh no, Anna. I know they need all that weird technology stuff to find who got Shandra," said Crisis quickly.

"The biggest, baddest pred in the yard?" said Camille, looking at Hodgins. "Uh-huh. One sentence from this other naga, and she folds."

Anna nudged Crisis aside as she stooped down to look at them. She looked directly at Temperance. "Now then, you'd be Dr. Temperance Brennan, right? Now don't take this the wrong way, but I think it'll be nice having humans like you around. Thanks to you lot, I've got a well-defined goal when it comes to messing with machines." Temperance found it hard to believe this 'naga' could have any skill with their technology, let alone be able to tinker with it, but she held her tongue, still mesmerized by her cold, yellow eyes. Anna genuinely seemed eager to work with them, if for no other reason than to show off her intellect. Temperance wondered if she ever appeared the same way. "Anyway, enough about me. Let's introduce you to the rest of your support staff, and where we've set up shop."

"Well, since the introductions seem to be going smoothly, Lily and I will leave you six to get situated. I'll catch up with you soon," said Exona brightly. She roughly yanked Lily by the arm and they flew off.

Temperance watched them go as they walked across another length of impossibly thick, woody vines. Anna slithered ahead at a leisurely pace. The vine sloped upward, into a spacious alcove that came up to Anna's shoulders, wide enough for her to stick her head inside. Inside, most of the transferred equipment was already set up, from the mass spectrometer to the x-ray equipment. The branch with the victim's remains was already shoved inside as well. Temperance slowly strode inside, careful not to trip over the long stretches of bulky wires crisscrossing the alcove. As she stared down at them, something clicked. Turning back to Anna, she asked, "Anna, how can there be a stable power source for our equipment in the middle of this tree?"

Anna simply smirked. Suddenly, the tip of her tail was wiggling in the alcove's entrance: blue scales with a yellow underbelly. Then, she raised her tail as if to strike something. It vanished from view, and the whole alcove shook a little. After everyone got over their surprise, Anna showed them her tail tip again. It now crackled with raw electrical power.

"This is how. I didn't become just any naga. I'm an incredibly rare storm naga," said Anna proudly. "And thanks to the abundant, ambient magic in Felarya, I can harness as much electrical power, and create as many fuel cells, as I need." Temperance had no idea what Anna meant by 'becoming' a naga, but decided not to pursue it. Just learning of the existence of nagas was enough for now.

"Wow, we find the perfect means of sustainable clean energy, and it's got pink hair and semi-sized knockers," said Hodgins. Angela glared at him again, and even Michael, cradled in her arms, seemed to roll his eyes.

"Still, it begs the question: just what else is being paired with us for…this case we haven't exactly agreed to yet?" asked Camille.

"Funny you mention that," said Anna. She turned from the alcove and called out, "And just WHY have the two of you gotten so bashful all of a sudden? You said you wanted to make sure the humans we dragged into Felarya are kept safe, so come introduce yourselves!"

Scholarly curiosity was finally trumping fear and disbelief. Temperance walked out to the edge of the alcove. Throughout the expansive stretch of predator territory before her, there were several mammoth, trunk-like outcroppings of the Giant Tree. Two titanic figures emerged from behind one of them, approaching their alcove. One was another naga, this one with green scales with slash-shaped stripes, and wavy blond hair, but had a huge, pink flower woven into it. She also wore clothes similar to Anna's, but were blood-red cloth. Her face betrayed unease that mirrored their own. As she slithered closer, Temperance noticed her freckles, and that her eyes were different colors. The left was blue, while the right matched her scales.

The other figure, however, drew Dr. Hodgins's attention all over again. Actually, it was hard for any of them to not gawk. From what they had seen, these 'predators' averaged around 100 feet in height, but this one looked to be at least 150 feet! She was naked, her breasts barely obscured by long, wavy brown hair. Pointed ears poked out from her hair, and…her lower half was that of some gigantic spider! A spider whose opisthosoma was covered in skull patterns! Despite herself, Temperance found herself unnerved. Temperance looked up at the massive creature, and took a reflexive step back. This spider-woman had FOUR EYES!

"This charming, non-airheaded blond naga is Fiona, and this lovely dridder is Noxcia," said Anna. "Noxcia was a senior researcher back on her world, before getting dumped into this armpit of a dimension, and Fiona has quite a bit of engineering experience. Plus, we all figured you'd rather work with predators who have no interest in humans as food."

"That's it. Anyone got a scorecard so we can keep track of which giant girls pop people like Tic-Tacs and which don't?" Booth growled.

Camille didn't look relieved. "So…you two don't eat…"

Noxcia's four eyes narrowed at them. "Of course not," she huffed.

Fiona, however, fidgeted nervously. "Well, uhmm, not usually. I mean, errr, I don't really go out of my way, and…."

Camille and Angela still looked nervous, but Hodgins was in awe of Noxcia. "Forget figuring out what a snake-girl's skeleton look like. How do you combine the upper half of a human with something that has an _exoskeleton_? And I can't even begin to hypothesize about how the hydraulics within those spider legs can work, let alone how they can support all that mass…."

Angela cleared her throat. "Uh, hell-oooooooo? Not supposed to be tempted by the naked, giant half-animal ladies, remember?" Booth seemed agitated as well, but Temperance wasn't quite sure about the reason why. Angela turned from her husband to look up at Noxcia and Fiona. "And don't get me wrong, ladies, I'm sure you're credentials are…impeccable. But, the thing is, a lot of this forensics work involves, how shall we say, a finer touch? It might be a wee bit hard with fingers than can poke holes in a Sherman tank."

"And that's what I'm here for," came a high-pitched voice from among the pilfered Jeffersonian gear.

"Great, _another_ fairy," grumbled Hodgins.

"Not quite, Dr. Hodgins, not quite," came the voice again. Then, someone stepped out from behind the mass spectrometer. But amazingly, it was a human…or at least looked somewhat human. It was a little girl, no more than nine or ten years old. However, her skin and hair were a ghastly white, and her eyes blood-red….

"You're…kidding, right? Vampire children?" asked Angela incredulously.

"No, that's Tanya," said the girl nonchalantly, ignoring everyone's astonished stares. "The name's Seliky, Seliky Serela. Anna and Crisis sent for me, saying they needed someone to organize a laboratory and whip up a computer network to run everything. These fine giant ladies can do the heavy lifting, but when it comes to the software, I'm your go-to girl."

So many questions ran through Temperance's mind. Why was this little girl on speaking terms with predators liable to eat her alive? How did anyone in this hostile jungle know anything about computers? The one she blurted out, however, was, "How can you possibly be skilled enough to build an entire software network to interface with operating systems you've never worked with before, from _SCRATCH_? You must have only hit puberty, and should still be in the developmental stages where children develop industriousness to combat feelings of inferiority."

"Quoting Erik Erikson's stages, Dr. Brennan? I thought you hated psychology," said Sweets.

Seliky, unfazed, just smiled up at Temperance, and said, "Well, when it comes to machines and computers, you're damn right I've displayed my industriousness, and shown how inferior everyone back in Negav is in that department." Looking past Temperance, she said, "Hey Anna, the mass spectrometer, FT-IR machine, x-ray scanners, and Dr. Saroyan's and Dr. Hodgins's computers…they're all up and running. Feel free to bring over your computers and hook 'em up whenever you're ready."

Anna smiled back. "Nice. I've been waiting for an excuse to bust out that _BIG_ television. Heard it was originally meant to go to this thing called a 'Cowboys Stadium'. At least Crisis can't eat _this_ one." With that, Anna slithered off.

Temperance watched her go, suddenly anxious. Anna seemed bossy and prideful, and wondered if her team could work with her. She wasn't sure about Noxcia, Fiona and Seliky either. As for Crisis…she lingered behind the 'dridder' and the other blond naga. Temperance guessed that Crisis's curious yet longing gaze still made her friends queasy. She still wasn't quite immune herself. Sensing her hesitation, Noxcia spoke up. "Anna suggested that Fiona and I help examine the branch, since she guessed it's bigger than most crime scenes you're used to. Once the corpse is removed, we can get to work."

"Oh. Oh, right," said Camille absentmindedly. "Anyone going to volunteer to climb up and pry our fairy off?"

"I can do it," came a voice from above. Everyone looked up to see Exona flying overhead. "Managed to ensure Lily will stay far away, so she won't be tempted to do anything stupid. So…when can I move Shandra's body?"

"It might be advisable they you put on some reasonably clean garments first, to avoid any possibility of compromising contamination of the remains," said Temperance.

Exona looked a little crestfallen as she fluttered down to them. "Ah, well, I think Remus and the others made sure some of that was brought over. Here, I think it's in this box." Exona walked over to one of the stolen carts, which had a box resting on top. Temperance peered inside, and indeed, there were plenty of navy-blue Jeffersonian jumpsuits. At least clean clothing wouldn't be too cumbersome of an issue. But Exona also pulled a grey coat out of the box, the one worn by Temperance's interns. "Hey, this one's different. Is there something special about it?"

"Those are worn by interns who are assigned to work on particular cases with us," said Temperance.

"'Squinterns' is our informal term, actually," added Booth.

Exona stared at the coat, fiddling with the tag saying 'INTERN', before turning back to Temperance. "Well, since no one bothered to bring any of your, ah, squinterns to Felarya with you, should I pick up the slack?"

"I hardly think you're qualified to assist in forensic anthropology, Ms. Exona," said Temperance matter-of-factly. "Such work requires an extensive background in physiology, anatomy, biochemistry, and a host of other natural sciences as well as anthropology."

Some of Temperance's friends looked a little fearful. Perhaps they were afraid that she had upset this potentially deadly fairy. However, Exona flashed a wry smile, and said, "Well, I don't just know Frerik Mezzus personally. I actually studied under him for many, many years. And a man who's lived for over a millennium has a lot of knowledge to impart, especially about biology and chemistry. Also, not to sound pushy, but you're still going to need someone intimately familiar with Felarya. I've scoured just about all of Felarya in my years, and can help in that regard. As for actually getting someone with the specific credentials you want, well, I doubt we can find any willing person from the Academy of Sentinels in time. And if anyone in Negav could help, they'd already be working on _those_ murders. Sorry to sound presumptuous, Dr. Brennan, but when it comes to helping hands your size, I might be all you've got."

Sweets shrugged his shoulders. "We let Bunsen Jude the Science Dude in on the fun once. What could possibly go wrong?" he asked.

Temperance couldn't believe how quickly her next sentence came out of her mouth. "That's…a very logical argument for your close involvement, Ms. Exona."

"Well, with that vote of confidence, I guess I'll put this on, and…" Exona stopped when she noticed their exasperated glares. "Oh yeah, that'll be a bit difficult with wings, won't it? Hang on, I see a pair of scissors over there. Give me a minute…."

Temperance couldn't help but roll her eyes as Exona grunted exasperatedly, trying to cut wide enough slits through the coat's fabric, and then trying to fit her wings through them. She even came close to doing what Sweets once called an 'epic facepalm'. It took Exona a couple of minutes, but miraculously, she got her wings through the slits, and now the coat fit perfectly. "Ah, what did I tell you? A perfect fit!" she said, doing a twirl.

"Congratulations on joining the team," said Camille. "But you'll still need these to avoid contamination." Camille tossed Exona the box of gloves. "And we'll need you to take pictures of the crime scene before you remove the body. Please tell me you know how to use one," Camille added, tossing her a camera that was also on the cart. Exona nodded as she put on a pair of gloves, then she flew over to the branch.

"We'd better get an observation table ready. Is there anything like that set up already?" asked Angela.

"Oh, over here, I think," said Seliky, pointing deeper into the alcove. She led them over to where, indeed, there was a metal table with ample space for the remains. Temperance could even smell some sort of disinfectant. Jora obviously did her part, letting these predators know how to prepare a place to work. It wasn't long before Exona fluttered back, and carefully laid her friend's remains on the table.

"I suppose Noxcia and Fiona should glove up too," said Exona. She pulled out two more pairs of gloves, then flew over to the alcove's edge and dropped them there. Exona pointed a finger at the gloves, and suddenly, they swelled in size, now just big enough for even Noxcia to wear.

"I'll…stick to fawning over the spider-lady's anatomy," said Hodgins. "I don't know how I could begin contemplating how that shrinky-growy stuff works…without going mad."

"You are not the only one who is finding it difficult to work out the mechanics behind this…magic, Dr. Hodgins," replied Temperance.

Noxcia and Fiona put on their gloves and removed the branch from the alcove. Temperance couldn't see where they took it, but at the moment, she had other concerns. She put on another pair of gloves and ran her hands over wherever bone showed through the rotting flesh, hoping to uncover anything she missed before. All that mattered now was learning what clues Shandra left behind.

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Booth always felt uncomfortable in the Jeffersonian's forensics lab, so hopelessly out of place. He was one of the best snipers in the world, and had years of experience as an FBI agent under his belt. But when working with these scientists, he was clearly out of his element. And here, even in this impromptu lab slapped together by an albino kid and giant snake-women, these 'squints' were able to get right to work. At least back in D.C., he had an essential part to play. He represented the law, and had the power to enforce it.

Here in Felarya, the only law was the law of the jungle, where humans had no power to exploit it. All his FBI and Army training…were worth next to nothing in this deathtrap of a dimension.

Booth cast nervous glances out of the alcove. Anna was setting up her own computer, right along with that huge television screen. Half her time, however, was spent nudging Crisis away from her gear. A whole world full of these mammoth, deadly creatures, things he had no hope of fighting. Things he had no hope of protecting Bones, the one carrying his child, from. A fat lot of good this world's magic fixing his back would do.

So, when it seemed the 'squints' and their new fairy friend were getting nowhere, Booth felt the need to step in, if for no other reason than to distract himself. "So, none of you found any evidence of defensive wounds yet, outside of some possible rudimentary bruising," said Booth, sauntering up behind Hodgins and Camille. "But we're not back in D.C., don't forget. This isn't our…usual murder, here. Exona, is there some sort of, oh I dunno, magic spell that could grant superspeed or invisibility or something? Something that could let someone get the drop on Shandra as she was sulking in her hideaway?"

"Sure, but Shandra's predator sense was sharp enough to let her know if any nearby humans were trying enchantments that powerful. Human magic use is kind of easy to pick up," said Exona. Booth inwardly shuddered. This 'predator sense'…a way for certain species to know that potential prey was nearby. Exona had quickly explained that it wasn't like a radar that pinpointed a meal's location. Still, it reminded Booth of how he was at a gross disadvantage in this world.

"Any chance I can get that head and start a facial reconstruction, just to make sure this really is Shandra?" asked Angela, who was handling taking the photographic evidence. "Maybe all this Felarya super-healy-soil-aura is affecting me differently, but…I'm in no mood to see fairy innards when Cam gets to work gutting the poor girl."

"Still working out how I'd do a tox screen on fairy wings. Not quite there yet," said Camille. "Hopefully Seliky has everything set up for the usual gamut: check for DNA in the teeth and under the nails, ID the stomach contents, for whatever good that'll do us. At least…I know I won't stumble upon any bits of the Borrowers…."

"And I hope you weren't exaggerating about recruiting a whole fairy squadron to get us soil, water and pollen samples, Exona," said Hodgins. He swabbed an exposed piece of bone. "Shandra here is sure giving up the ghost, a whole plethora of particulates."

Booth knew the routine, and found it ridiculous how everyone was going about their usual tasks…with a dead _fairy._ It was as if Jora and her predator friends just made sure they'd see the remains, and then they wouldn't be able to resist delving into the mystery. None of these predators had any desire to eat them (except for maybe Crisis, judging by her longing looks), but they laid out a perfect trap nonetheless.

But as Booth looked at the rotting flesh clinging to the skull, the chalky wings, the empty eye sockets…. This fairy had been no threat to his kind. And someone had snuffed out a life, for reasons that had nothing to do with survival. Even in a hostile world where the law of the jungle prevailed, sometimes…justice still had to be pursued. At least, that's what he wanted to believe….

As his gaze passed over the deceased fairy, however, Booth noticed something. Something he couldn't believe the squints missed. "Hang on…is that a stab wound?" asked Booth, pointing to the abdomen.

Camille ran her hands over the area. "Oh yeah. I worked New York homicide, don't forget, and…yeah. This has stab wound written all over it. Looks like it went right through the stomach, too. There's something witty I could say about that, but…nothing comes to mind. Probably a good thing."

"If I go ahead and make an assumption regarding the trajectory of the weapon, and given the location of the entry wound, the blade may have grazed the lower thoracic or upper lumbar vertebrae, and possibly grazed the dorsal portions of the lower ribs as well. It's possible her inferior vena cava was cut, or perhaps veins connected to the hepatic portal vein were severed. That is, assuming that a fairy's circulatory system is analogous to a human's," said Bones. Camille nodded in agreement. "At any rate, after Dr. Saroyan determines if those blood vessels were damaged, Dr. Hodgins and I should have even more evidence to work with, once the bones are cleaned," said Bones.

Seliky was still moving equipment around and helping Anna with more programming. She caught their conversation and froze. "Uhhh, 'once the bones are cleaned'?" she repeated timidly.

"Yeah. Bones has to get all the dead stuff _off_ the bones before she can really do her bones thing," spat Booth. "Didn't your little squad of kidnappers remember to snag Hodgins's legion of flesh-eating beetles?" Booth looked from Seliky to Exona and back, who both simply blinked in surprise. "Let me get this straight: the one thing you people forget to bring to Felarya is what _EATS_ stuff? Oh, the irony…."

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Exona had tried to convince Lily to keep her distance, but the loopy fairy should've known better. Lily could not attain a giant size, but everyone seemed to forget that shrinking herself was not beyond her. It was a simple matter to hide among their equipment, and suppress her magic so Exona did not get wise.

Lily watched the humans go about their job with a sickening sense of calm, as if they did this sort of thing all the time. The one called 'Angela'…actually took Shandra's head! She hadn't been exaggerating! And before that, the other humans poked and prodded the lifeless husk her friend was reduced to. There was talk about taking all her guts, cleaning the flesh off her bones…as if preserving her for one of their 'museum' things. Didn't Jora say these humans _WORKED_ in a museum!?

It all reminded Lily of why she hated humans in the first place. Their ghastly meticulousness. How they could be both methodical and unfathomably cold, just like when….

Lily fought back the tears, refusing to lose it now. "I'll be watching you humans very, _very _closely," Lily promised. "The second one of you gets out of line, you're all plant food…."

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Sweets had volunteered to look after Michael, at least until this Mezzus could help him with fairy psychology. Angela was in the middle of her facial reconstruction, and once Seliky and Anna put the final touches on their software network, Camille and Hodgins could get underway as well. Of course, with no ready means of removing the flesh from the fairy's bones, it would be some time before Temperance could get to what earned her Booth's nickname for her. What once annoyed her to no end, but she now found endearing for some reason.

Temperance looked down and put a hand to her abdomen. Only a month pregnant. And if Exona was right, just _being_ in Felarya would provide supreme prenatal care…assuming she avoided getting eaten.

Facing the logic-defying realities of Felarya nearly drove her mad within her first few hours here. Booth always insisted that to raise a child, you couldn't rely on logic and science alone. But what if she was stripped of even that? Could she hope to raise this baby now, when what sustained her for so long now seemed inadequate? And so, Temperance sat on a branch some distance away from the other end of their alcove-lab, feeling quite useless.

Apparently, she wasn't the only one. "Not feeling particularly productive, Bones? You and me both. Not as if I can go round up a bunch of 100-foot snake-girls and spider-girls for interrogation. I'm not quite sure why Jora thought I'd be of use."

Temperance looked up and smiled. "Given that Jora relied on the reconnaissance reports of the fairy's tribe leader, she must have thought you would be essential in piecing together whatever evidence we elucidate. Temi did see you deduce who was responsible for the violinist's food poisoning. Also, given that you're not as grounded in the sciences as the rest of us, it's easier for you to…not be overwhelmed by Felarya's…absurdities."

Booth smiled. "Wow, since when did me being the scientifically-illiterate FBI agent become a plus? And for the record, Bones, none of us were _NOT _overwhelmed by seeing Melany…you know…."

"It still is absurd, how we're trying to find a killer in a world where sapient beings are killed every day, all due to this twisted world creating an environment that convinces those raised in it that it's acceptable," said Temperance.

"Of course, the counterargument is to ask who, or what, makes something acceptable or unacceptable?" came a familiar voice. Temperance and Booth turned to see Léa walking up to them.

"Léa? What're you doing here? I thought all our, ahem, _travel agents_ went back to this Safe Harbor," said Booth.

"Calina lives near Milly's hut, and everyone else lives in Safe Harbor, yes," said Léa. "But my place is with Crisis. It always will be."

Booth looked at her strangely. "So, you're fine with her...well, you know…."

A faint smile crossed Léa's face. "I've gotten many variations of that question before. Sometimes from humans about to be popped into Crisis's mouth. Insituations that I'm betraying humanity or whatever. And my answer is always the same: Race is unimportant to me, only the individual matters. Crisis…has done more for me than any human has or possibly could."

Temperance and Booth regarded Léa for a moment. "So…I'm guessing there's a story behind Crisis _not_ eating you when you first met?" Booth asked delicately.

Léa nodded. "I was a slave most of my life, and when a caravan had to pass through Felarya, Crisis attacked. When she was done with the slavers, she took my cage, but I wasn't scared. After everything slavers have done to me, the prospect of being eaten alive couldn't faze me in the least. I thanked her for giving me a brief taste of freedom, and she stopped. As you can imagine, Crisis isn't used to her prey being so stoic. And luckily for me, she's fascinated by stories, and singing. Now, we're inseperable."

Again, Temperance and Booth had nothing to say right away, silently digesting Léa's story. At length, Booth said, "Good thing we've got other uses to Crisis. I doubt she'd be interested in stories about human remains that've been dismembered, barbecued, dunked in cooking grease, splattered by trains, frozen then shattered…. Hell, even _CRISIS _would be liable to lose her appetite if we let her read half of our case files…."

"Maybe the scale-butt would, but not us!" came a sharp, mocking voice from above.

Léa sighed. "Great. Them. You'd think having a massive dridder visit the Giant Tree would dissuade them, but…." Léa willed her staff to extend, watching for something to descend into their canopy.

And then, Temperance was rudely introduced to another species of Felaryan predator. Something monstrous came crashing down through the leafy cover above and onto a nearby branch. Another giant female humanoid, with the lower half of a bird of prey, and wide, golden wings. Her short, purple hair was adorned with some headdress, and silvery pauldrons protected her shoulder joints. She was only about two hundred feet away from their branch, eyeing them hungrily.

"Belletia, a rather persistent harpy that's set up shop around here recently," Léa went on. "She's got a flock that usually accompanies her. We best get back to your laboratory."

As the three of them turned to backtrack to their alcove, another harpy landed in front of it. Judging by how the wood underneath their feet kept reverberating, Temperance guessed even more were landing. She wondered how multiple 'harpies' would decide on who would get the cornered prey. It took a while for it to sink in that that wasn't exactly something to dwell on at the moment.

Léa looked a little flustered, but otherwise seemed undaunted, pointing her staff up at Belletia as she slowly approached. Booth, likewise, drew his gun. Temperance's knowledge of predator anatomies was still lacking, but she was fairly certain their weapons wouldn't be of much use….

"Wow, even more humans scurryin' around the tree these days. What, did scale-butt start growing more of you in a garden or somethin'?" cackled Belletia. "And where_ is_ the blonde bimbo anyway?"

Belletia got her answer when an impossibly fast and huge teal something lashed out and struck her in the back, smashing her into a part of the Giant Tree's trunk several hundred feet away.

Crisis quickly brought her tail back to wrap around the branch she was on, anchoring her to it to steady herself. Turning to the three of them, she cried, "Hurry Léa! Get them back in that alcove!"

Their prey forgotten, one of the harpies launched herself at Crisis. Crisis swerved to the side and the harpy sailed past, but her talons dug into her scales. Crisis cried out, but a split-second later, she grabbed the harpy by her ankles. With one yank, she pulled the harpy's talons out and threw her at another advancing harpy. Both of them were knocked clear out of the canopy. Heedless of her wounds, Crisis launched herself at the harpy in front of the alcove, her mammoth form sailing over them. Temperance still found herself wondering about the energy requirements for muscles to power such graceful movements for something that huge. Crisis's tail wrapped around the bird-woman, constricting her as the pair of predators fell to a branch below.

"The way is clear. Let's move," said Léa, pulling Temperance along by her arm.

"But…what about Crisis? Can't your…magic help her?" asked Temperance.

"The best way to help is to make sure we're not liabilities," said Léa. "Crisis knows how to take care of herself."

At last, they made it back to the other side of their alcove-lab, but still curious, Temperance looked back, hoping to see Crisis. She caught glimpses of the naga. Sometimes she punched at the harpies, but most of the time, she was bludgeoning them with her tail. It was enough to keep the harpies at a distance, forced to wait for an opening. Crisis didn't fight with the trained discipline that someone like Booth or herself would, but there was a savage efficiency to her tactics all the same. And when Temperance couldn't see the predators, the quaking in the branches and alcove clued her in that the fight still raged.

"Crisis! What's going on!? Where did these harpies come from!?" demanded another voice. Temperance recognized it. Jora was back, but a whimper accompanied it. Temperance ran to the other side of the alcove's opening. Jora was clutching a young girl, whose height was proportional to hers. She wore a white dress, its chest adorned with an orange heart that matched the color of her short hair. She clutched Jora tightly, no doubt scared of the harpies ganging up on their naga friend.

At this point, the lead harpy, Belletia, had recovered. She leered at the pair of giantesses. "Well now, you got other guests, scale-butt, and somethin' tells me they ain't as tough and nimble as you. The young one…Tanny's her name, right? Adopted by that clumsy twit of a giantess, if I heard right. Hmmmm, tell you what, scale-butt. Let us have our pick of the humans here, and maybe we won't need to rough up the little girlie here, like some of our flock always did to that poor quebron-nutsack Garnet…."

"Which you will never do here. Not so long as I am in the Giant Tree," came a stern voice. Noxcia's. The massive dridder scurried up the trunk and positioned herself in front of their alcove. All Temperance could see was the back of her opisthosoma and the middle parts of her right set of spider legs. "I came here to help prevent violence that has no place even in Felarya. I will not tolerate any more of such violence here in this tree."

Temperance could still see Belletia, still several hundred feet away, perched on a branch and ready to spring. Even at that distance, though, Temperance noticed something odd. Belletia's pupils…they had a cloudy, orange tint to them….

"I will not ask again, Belletia. Call off your flock and leave us be," commanded Noxcia.

From the tension in Belletia's leg muscles, Temperance could tell the harpy would lunge at Noxcia any second. "Or what, four-eyes!?" demanded Belletia.

That goaded Noxcia into action. There was a weird sound, a sort of flitting and whooshing. Temperance wasn't sure what it was, but a second later, she saw slender, green, needlelike things – hundreds of them – shoot out in Belletia's direction. The harpy shrieked as she tried to flutter out of the line of fire, but some clipped her wing. She tumbled to a branch directly below.

"Those needles had only a hint of my toxin. Just enough to induce momentary numbness," said Noxcia coldly. Suddenly, blonde hairs flowed across the right half of the alcove opening, soon replaced by a gigantic backside. From Crisis's breathing and what she supposed was upright posture for a naga, Temperance guessed she was fine. Perhaps Léa was right about Crisis's hardiness. "If your harpy flock does not withdraw, I will increase their toxicity, leaving you all unconscious for hours, with the risk of permanent systemic damage," Noxcia went on. "This is your last warning."

Belletia glared at Noxcia and Crisis as she flexed her wings. Once the toxin wore off, she flew straight up, with a scream clearly meant for Temperance, Booth and Léa. "This ain't over, my little morsels!" The other harpies followed Belletia out of the tree.

"Anna should consider building defenses to keep these harpies out. They can be prideful, stubborn beings," said Noxcia.

"Uh yeah sure, I'll make sure Anna gets right on that," replied Crisis absentmindedly.

Temperance felt the tree shake a little again. Anxious at first, she soon reasoned it was simply Jora approaching. "Crisis! You're hurt! How bad does it hurt?" came a booming, child's cry. No doubt it was this Tanny.

_Even after being transformed and transported to a place as twisted as Felarya, Ms. Fenderen is ahead of me in terms of experience raising children,_ Temperance thought.

"Oh Tanny, don't worry about me. I'm tougher than I look," said Crisis dismissively. Crisis then turned around and knelt to look into the alcove. "Oh, I'm so sorry I didn't get to those harpies faster! Is everyone OK?" Crisis asked with a pleading face. Not waiting for an answer, she scooped up the three of them and nuzzled them against her cheek, crying. Temperance just lay there, sandwiched between the naga's flesh, still unsure what to think of this creature.

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Ever since the FBI formed its partnership with the Jeffersonian Institute, Caroline Julian had no shortage of bizarre cases to prosecute. A couple with a fat fetish burning up on a bed? A gamer mailman dunked in cooking grease? A dead guy dunked in hydrofluoric acid, making his bones dissolve from the inside out? Fine. Dr. Brennan and her Scoobies were _SUPPOSED_ to help her make sense of the weird stuff, and make sure a jury could follow along with the sciency gobbledegook. That was their job, and it helped Caroline do hers. But Caroline was far from stupid, and understood everything Brennan found was firmly grounded in reality.

Until today.

Caroline stared at the video feed, and describing what she felt as 'disbelief' would be the grossest of understatements. This morning, she received word that the Jeffersonian's crime lab was cannibalized, and their top eggheads AWOL, along with Agent Booth and Dr. Sweets. Everything pointed to an inside job. Seeing how Dr. Saroyan was one of the few who could deactivate all the security measures, Caroline dreaded where things were headed. She kept telling herself, as Dr. Brennan no doubt always did, there was a rational explanation for everything.

And here was Brennan on the feed, telling her they were all whisked away to some fantasy world called 'Felarya', all because a German woman she owed now lived there and needed a forensic anthropologist. And then there was the whole 'giantess' thing….

Caroline narrowed her eyes at the computer screen, hoping she put on her most incredulous face yet. Caroline could see some of the pilfered gear behind them…and what looked like the innards of some mammoth tree. "So let's recap, _cherie_, shall we?" said Caroline wryly. "Some of the fine, upstanding Felarya residents barge into your lab, steal millions of dollars worth of equipment, knock you all unconscious, and drag you off to some jungle world where half the native population is liable to make an after-dinner snack of all of you. And you Scoobies are not only going along with it, but asking me to feed the FBI some story to cover your asses until you nab your fairy-skewerer…_WHY_?!"

Booth looked over to Brennan. "When she puts it that way…."

"Ms. Fenderen saved my life. Even though it was inadvertently, I still owe her for that," Brennan cut in calmly. How she could keep up that calm veneer while trapped in that freakish world was beyond Caroline. "And it's not just this one fairy. There are over a dozen human murder victims that are likely connected to this one." Caroline looked past Brennan. On the table behind her was yet another corpse for the anthropologist to fawn over, but Caroline could see the chalky wings. They say seeing is believing, but Caroline needed to see more. "I just think of this as combining my new role of solving recent murders with my former occupation of studying exotic cultures."

"Do forgive me, _cherie_, but I'd like to think helping out your old acquaintance from Germany wouldn't need to involve disappearances and theft that cast a pall over the entire Jeffersonian, thus calling all my cases you Scoobies had a hand in into question," said Caroline. "Now, I'm aware that these fairy folk aren't exactly privy to the FBI's protocols, but is it too much to ask for a little discretion?"

Suddenly, someone else stepped into view. Caroline noticed she wore the grey coat of a Jeffersonian intern, but an instant later she caught her purple hair. And then the twitching antennae, and then the _WINGS_. "OK, not only are you cool with being kidnapped and forced to take an assignment, but one of these little flutterbugs gets the next internship? Dr. Brennan, you have officially lost your mind."

"In Bones's defense, there's slim pickings in Felarya as far as qualified interns go," said Booth.

"Never mind Tinkerbell's punk rocker sister. I'd like to have words with the German lass whose bright idea it was to nab all my favorite eggheads in the first place," spat Caroline.

Dr. Brennan looked bemused. "You're intent on acting adversarial towards a woman eighteen times your size and not exactly known for her patience?"

"You damn right, _cherie_. You almost get my favorite FBI bad boy, and the anthropologist carrying his new baby, dropped from a mile up in the form of harpy droppings, you _BETTER_ expect to hear from me," fumed Caroline.

"Very well," was all Brennan said before punching a few keys. The next thing Caroline knew, some pink-haired woman was at the center of her screen, looking down and fiddling with something. A blond woman wearing a green top and short skirt was working beside her. No doubt it was this Jora Fenderen who caught a lucky break and wound up in Brennan's debt. However, in the distance at the far left, Caroline saw some little guy in a huge alcove wave at her. It took Caroline a moment to realize it was Booth. Caroline looked from him to the two women and back several times, the size difference slowly sinking in. She was so taken aback, she almost didn't notice the scales underneath the sash around the pink-haired woman's waist….

Eventually, she looked up and noticed the transferred video feed. The pink-haired woman narrowed her eyes, but smirked at Caroline. "Ah, you must be the…'prosecutor' that Dr. Brennan was trying to contact," she said smoothly. "The name's Anna. I hear you and I share the same 'sunny disposition'…."

There was something about this Anna that told Caroline she shared her intolerance for idiocy and red tape. Unfortunately, now wasn't the time to make new friends. "You heard right, _cherie_. Now, don't take this the wrong way, but right now I need to talk to the other scientifically-inclined oversized lady over there…."

Jora finally noticed the feed, and stared at Caroline with a wry look. "I take it you're less than pleased about how Dr. Brennan and her crew were just…commissioned?"

"Other than how it almost put the anthropologist you claim to respect on the menu, it could leave the FBI with a pile of paperwork so high even _YOU_ couldn't see over it," spat Caroline. "Now, I have no idea how things go in the Land That Everyone But Deviantart Addicts Forgot, but…."

Caroline was cut off when someone squeezed in between Anna and Jora. Another blond giant thing, apparently half-snake like Anna was. Whereas the other two had been focused on work, this one had a carefree expression. "Ooooh, is this another one of Brennan's friends? She looks a lot bigger than other humans. And how'd she get inside that flat TV thingie?"

Caroline stared at this other naga for a moment, then fixed her is-this-girl-for-real look on Anna. Anna got the hint. "Don't bother trying to explain communications and information technology to Crisis. In fact, don't bother trying to explain electronics whatsoever. It's a wasted effort."

Heedless to their incredulity, Crisis went on. "Ohhhh, I guess that means you're not really here. Uhhh, I guess that's a good thing. You look pretty tasty." Crisis smiled, as if that last bit was a compliment.

For a moment, all Caroline could do was stare back at Crisis with a look usually reserved for finicky witnesses she was prepping for trial. "You got that right, _cherie_. I taste like apple and cinnamon, and I just melt in your mouth," said Caroline. "I'm just afraid that you'll think my favorite FBI agent and the mother-to-be make good appetizers as well."

Crisis looked crestfallen and nonplussed. Surprisingly, Anna rose to her defense. "Not to worry, Ms. Julian. Anyone who gains Crisis's trust also gains her protection." Anna lifted a portion of Crisis's snake tail in front of the camera. Caroline gasped when she saw what looked like deep wounds left by giant talons.

"Plus, Crisis has a bit of a reputation. Those harpies were outliers. Hardly anyone with hostile intentions would dare come to this part of the Giant Tree, and _NO ONE_ picks a fight with Crisis," Jora added.

Caroline stared incredulously at Crisis again. Massive snake-woman she may be, but it was still hard to believe someone so cute and innocent-looking would be the one most feared in Felarya. Even if her love of eating people alive wasn't a sticky issue, Caroline would be hard pressed to trust Brennan and Booth's safety to Crisis.

But it wasn't as if she had much choice.

xxxxxxxxxx

Felarya character credits:

Crisis, Anna Demorah, Temi, Léa, Lily, Belletia, Melany, and Subeta belong to Karbo

Milly, Isham, Elia, Calina and Pal Sebrit belong to FrenchSnack

Jora Fenderen and Tanny belong to Ravana3K

Remus vir Patstriker and Xanthe belong to NickInAmerica

Katrika belongs to Zoekin3

Milia Moonlieth belongs to vaderaz

Seliky Serela belongs to kikijonson

Fiona belongs to rcs169

Noxcia belongs to turboman500

Exona, General Garrardo and Shandra belong to yours truly, Grey-X


	5. The Witnesses in the Wilderness

Dynamic Equilibrium

a Bones/Felarya crossover

Chapter 5: The Witnesses in the Wilderness

5-4-2013

by Greyman

NOTE: The beginning of this chapter was added to the end of the previous chapter to balance out the word count for both. Go read the final segment of the fourth chapter before proceeding.

Disclaimer: Bones and all related characters are the property of 20th Century Fox. Felarya is the creation and property of Karbo, and all associated characters are the property of their respective creators.

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Lily looked around at all the fairies standing around the alcove's entrance. She suspected they were told they could help with finding the human that took Shandra from them, but weren't told anything beyond that. Naturally, being fairies, curiosity trumped patience. A particularly curious fairy with long antennae and short blue hair, Lucilya, sauntered over to a table where that Saroyan woman was working. She picked up this 'beaker' thing that had some water with a weird, rusty tint to it…

As Lucilya eyed the concoction closely, Saroyan suddenly turned around, jumping with a gasp. That almost made Lucilya drop the beaker, which unnerved this 'coroner' even more. "Uh, excuse me, but ethidium bromide is, uh, carcinogenic. No point taking chances and getting, uh, wing cancer or something," said the human, carefully taking the beaker from Lucilya. Lucilya looked hurt, her air of childlike innocence eclipsing that of most of her kind. Still curious, Lucilya leaned over to look at this 'gel electrophoresis' thing, which gave off an eerie hum. Lucilya reached out to touch it, but Saroyan slapped her hand away.

"If what you did all night will actually help, I'll let that slide," Lily muttered under her breath. Throughout the night, many of these humans worked without sleep. Hodgins did this mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy stuff in the hours before the sun rose. And throughout the night, Saroyan did this 'PCR' thing. Something about amplifying all the different DNA she hoped she isolated.

But these humans made it clear that whatever they found last night would be useless unless fairies pitched in. So the word went out, and now dozens of fairies were gathered here in the Giant Tree. Shandra may have gone off on her own a lot, but she was a friend to all. Even here in Felarya, where survival could never be taken for granted, the loss was a shock. And these fairies were willing to do something about it.

The fairies were getting more and more impatient. They talked amongst themselves, making idle speculations, and some voiced their anger over Shandra's death with vehemence that took even Lily aback.

But among them was one who simply kept to herself, looking sullen and horribly shy. Much like Shandra had been in earlier years. She had butterfly-style wings, short antennae, red eyes, long black hair adorned with flowers, and a constant look of uneasiness.

_Strange…Aya is usually cheerful and outgoing. Horribly soft and naïve when it comes to humans, but cheerful,_ Lily thought. _I guess losing Shandra affected her the most._ Lily was about to go over and ask if that was the case, but then Dr. Brennan's voice called out, having lost none of her imperiousness. Lily bit back a retort and turned to the anthropologist, but many fairies either didn't hear or ignored her. Booth and Exona stood beside Brennan, the latter looking a bit too excited.

"Thank you…fairies, for coming here this morning," said Brennan. She gave off an air of confidence and control, but Lily had faced down enough humans to know when they were faking such composure. "As you have no doubt been told, some of your friends…commissioned us to investigate the disappearance of one of your fellow fairies. Before we can proceed, however, we need to make a positive identification. The only means we have here is a facial reconstruction, and Angela completed it earlier this morning."

Angela stepped out near the alcove's entrance, her uneasiness bleeding through even more clearly than her friend's. "Keep in mind, ladies and gents, that when there's this much tissue left intact on the skull, there's little chance for a mistake," she warned the fairies, and showed them her sketch.

Lily's heart bottomed out at once. Lucilya, who was still hovering around the coroner, turned to look at the sketch, and her carefree demeanor vanished at once. Aya took it hardest: she didn't scream or even sob like some of the other fairies did, but merely stood there, trembling as she buried her face in her hands.

"It_ is_ Shandra," said Temi softly, the first coherent words to come from the crowd. The pack leader studied the sketch more closely. "You're an amazing artist, Montenegro. The way the hair flows, her smile…how did you get all that from what's left of her head?"

Angela looked to Brennan. "Well, I'd like to say Temp's rubbed off on me, and I could tell from the facial muscles that Shandra smiled a lot," she said nervously. "But mostly, it was artistic license. And…it's part of my job to make sure those left behind have some beautiful to remember the departed by, and not, well…." She didn't need to finish the sentence.

Awkward silence filled the alcove, but it wasn't long before Brennan broke it. "We've made a positive identification, and have already ascertained the most likely cause of death. But to have any hope of tracking down the killer, we'll need even more information. My team's knowledge of Felarya is sorely limited. As far as we know, there are no databases for entomology, botany and mineralogy for Felarya, and for Dr. Hodgins to make sense of any clues he finds on the remains, he…."

Brennan trailed off when she finally noticed the bemused looks from many of the fairies. "Bones, it's not exactly an auditorium full of grad students we got here," Booth whispered into her ear.

"Yet at the same time, fairies are far from stupid, and love to learn," said Exona. "Dr. Brennan, may I take over?" Brennan nodded stiffly, and her new intern strode forward to address her fellow fairies. "Alright everyone, it was definitely Shandra's body we found out east in Tolmeshal Forest, and Jora called in a favor to get us the best mystery solvers in the known universe. But until they get samples of dirt, pollen and water from all around Felarya to cross-reference their findings with, they won't get far. This is where we come in."

Melany stepped forward. Lily smiled at how Booth tensed up. Brennan, strangely, seemed undaunted. "Sooooo…what you're saying is you're sending out all us fairies to collect these samples for Brennan?" asked Melany.

"More specifically, for Dr. Hodgins," replied Exona. "Back on his world, there could be a little speck of dirt left on a dead body, or some plant matter, or bits of some bug, and he can piece everything together from that. But that's because everything in his world's been scoured and analyzed. The opposite is true here, so we gotta pick up the slack."

"Bring back clumps of dirt, some flowers and bugs, and Hodgins will do the rest?" asked Subeta. "Sounds like a good bargain to me."

"There's a specific procedure, though. Each of you will get a kit for collecting samples, and there's a trick to everything. Step a little closer if you need to see better," said Exona. As some fairies did so, Exona took out a small box with plastic bottles and other little tools Lily had never seen before. She went through the methodology for collecting dirt and water samples in painstaking detail, yet Lily followed along easily, and she guessed none of the other fairies had trouble either. Most simply nodded, their determination to avenge Shandra shining in their eyes along with the light of understanding.

"There. Now I'd like everyone to form a line, and each one of you will get a kit, along with a slip of paper that has a designated region for sample pickups. And remember, no shrinking or growing the samples, otherwise you risk compromising them," said Exona after she wrapped up her demonstration. The fairies were slow to form a line, but soon enough, they were being handed collection kits and promptly departed.

"Hey, I got the western Ascarlin Mountains!" said one fairy. "Nice, I got some friends near the Lake of Illusions I'd like to visit…."

"Ack, you're lucky. I got the north edge of the Soral Swamps," replied another.

"All the way to the Rosic Neko Village for me," said yet another. "Ummm, am I still allowed to, y'know, grab a quick snack if any nekos stumble my way on their Rosic test?"

Lily caught a glimpse of Anna and Jora watching all the fairies fly off. "I never imagined how well-organized fairies could be when motivated," said Anna. "I'll have to keep that in mind…."

Lily tuned them all out as she waited to find out where Brennan was sending her off to. When she finally reached her and Booth, Exona handed Lily her kit. Lily took one look at her paper slip and blanched. "The Grove of Carnivorous Plants!? Sick irony much? Do forgive me for suspecting these assignments weren't randomized."

Exona shrugged her shoulders innocently, and Lily snatched the kit from her hands with a snort. As she turned to fly away, Lily looked back and asked, "And what about you, Exona? Or do these 'interns' get spared the grunt work?"

Exona smiled broadly. "Oh, I'm on sample collection duty too, don't' worry. But since you asked, I _did _give myself one of the closer collection sites…."

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Exona hummed to herself as she collected the final water sample Dr. Hodgins would need, straight from one of the many streams branching from the Shard River. As she put the sealed flask back in the box, Exona glanced over its contents. Plenty of samples of muddy soil, pollen from the plethora of plants in the area… Some, of course, liable to make a meal of her, thus necessitating quick thinking to extract some pollen.

But Exona didn't mind the danger, knowing that Hodgins would have a lot of fun analyzing plant, bug and soil samples from a world completely alien to him. She admired how these humans could be so out of their element, yet still use their skills for something useful in Felarya. Exona hoped that now that she was their 'intern', they would let her in on all their little secrets. Especially Dr. Brennan. Just the fact that Jora went to such lengths to get her old acquaintance to Felarya was certainly proof that the good doctor had much to offer.

"That's the difference between me and Lily, I guess," Exona thought aloud. "I'm not oblivious to the cruelty humans are capable of, but I still realize there's a lot to learn from them. A lot that a fairy can accomplish by working with them. If Lily wants to find who killed Shandra, she'd better let that sink in, or…."

Exona stopped when she noticed a large shadow was slowly spreading over her, accompanied by low rumblings. There was a quick twinge of fear, but Exona forced it down. A second later, she saw that any fear would be unwarranted. The shadow's shape…considering where she was along the Shard River's path, it could only be one person. So Exona set the box down, shot up to her maximum size, and turned around, beaming a huge smile at the giantess Jade.

Jade, however, wasn't in a sociable mood. From underneath the bangs of her short, brown hair, Jade glared at the fairy with piercing green eyes that matched the emerald in her headband's center. The giantess wore form-hugging tan shorts and a small black top that resembled what Exona thought humans called a 'sports bra'. She wasn't sure. Clothes weren't Exona's thing, and only enjoyed wearing her new coat because it symbolized how Brennan was willing to trust her so quickly. But Jade's choice of clothes… it showed off the giantess's lean musculature, evidence of an entire adult life spent mastering the martial arts.

The stern giantess glared at Exona a moment longer, then said, "Maybe you're not quite familiar with the infamy Safe Harbor, and I, have earned. So I'll give you about twenty seconds to explain just what you're doing here."

Far from being daunted, Exona smiled more broadly. "Oh, did I get too close to Safe Harbor? Honestly, I had no idea," she said with mock sincerity.

Jade's eyes narrowed even more. "It's within visual range," she said flatly, pointing behind her. "And you flew in low, almost as if you wanted to be spotted." Indeed, at her full height, Exona could see the thatched roofs of Safe Harbor's many buildings in the distance. Exona could even see some humans and nekos peering out of the windows, even at this distance.

_And I can even sense their apprehension from here,_ Exona thought, feeling a twinge of bitterness. Turning back to Jade, Exona only felt sheepish underneath that glare of hers. Shrugging her shoulders, Exona said, "You got me. You're so right about Safe Harbor's infamy. I knew I couldn't just march in and ask to talk to you, even if some of its citizens know me, so…."

Jade's gaze did not soften. "You wished to talk with me? Why?"

Exona shrugged her shoulders again. "No real reason, come to think of it. Guess it's just because there's not many fellow predators who _DON'T_ eat sapient beings."

"I'd like to believe there's even more predators like myself, but one has to wonder where you got that coat," said Jade dryly. "That's certainly unlike any fairy attire I've ever seen."

Exona looked down, fiddling with her tag. "Well, I'm still a little surprised I was allowed to wear it. I've been allowed to work closely with humans trying to figure out who killed a fellow predator who felt as we do." Exona's face fell a little. "I guess that's why I wanted to talk to someone else like me, now that Shandra's gone. Of all the predators that abstained from eating sentient beings, I was closest to her, and she surely admired you…."

Jade's rigid composure finally melted away. "This is…about finding that murderer? The one who's caused all that strife in Negav before butchering your friend?"

Exona let out a sad sigh. "Yeah. A whole battalion of fairies was sent out to gather samples of pollen and dirt from all over Felarya, so one of the human specialists brought over here has a database to cross-reference findings with," explained Exona. She glanced down, relieved that she hadn't accidently crushed the box.

To Exona's surprise, Jade let out a small chuckle. "I was starting to wonder how that was going. I remember the day Milly and Jora came back to Safe Harbor, and Milly rather bluntly stated they needed a few humans." Again, Jade laughed a little. "Oh, _that _sent a bit of a panic through Safe Harbor. Thankfully, Jora quickly explained that she simply needed volunteers to go find…what was the phrase? For-foren-en…ummm…."

"Forensic anthropologist?" Exona offered delicately.

"Yes, that's it," said Jade. "A…forensic anthropologist she once knew. Once Jora said it was all about tracking down someone killing humans in Negav for no good reason, I had no problem letting Isham and Remus go. At least, in some small way, those of us in Safe Harbor can help protect people in Negav too…."

Exona sighed again. "So my friend's death isn't important, too?"

"No no no, I didn't mean to imply that," said Jade quickly, shamefaced. "Shandra must have been loved by all fairies if her death galvanized all of them like this. I'm sorry for their loss…."

"It's quite alright, Jade. Perhaps I'm the one at fault for implying you'd have such tunnel vision," said Exona, flashing a reassuring smile. Then she looked past Jade, to the buildings of Safe Harbor. Many of its residents still watched anxiously through closed windows, lest she shrink back down and dive inside if given an opening. "Some of your friends are still wary of me. Shouldn't it be clear that if you haven't yet pummeled me into paste, I'm not a threat?"

"Well, you can't blame them, can you?" asked Jade sternly. "A good chunk of those in Safe Harbor...I quite _literally_ snatched from the jaws of death."

"I'd imagine so. Maybe they're worried for you…as if I'm much of a threat against the rock-solid Jade in close quarters," said Exona."Still, the apprehension is understandable, like you said. If you fall, what's left standing between them and a hungry naga's gullet?"

Jade frowned a little. "Some friends of mine, like Jora, I suppose. She's risen to the occasion before."

"Too bad Jora's at the Giant Tree right now, helping with the murder investigation," Exona pointed out. "What about providing them with a means of defending themselves in case the worst happens to you? Or at least have drills to carry out contingency plans in case Safe Harbor is no longer safe?"

Jade looked even more crestfallen. "I'm…sorry to say I never gave that much thought. Honestly, it's not like they have ready access to Isolon Fist weaponry or anything like that, so I guess that's why I never dwelled on the former. The latter bit about practicing escape plans, however…."

"I suppose we've given each other quite a lot to think about," said Exona. "In any case, it was good to finally meet the unflappable Jade face-to-face," she finished, offering her hand. Jade took it and shook. Exona inwardly winced from the force of her iron grip. Then, ever so carefully, Exona knelt down to retrieve the box with Hodgins's samples. With a wave good-bye, Exona fluttered up and then vanished over the horizon, leaving Jade to ponder a great many things.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sweets's tasks during cases always tended to be simple. With his training, profiling killers came naturally, and the experience he gained from working with Booth and Brennan made it even easier. Putting himself in the mindset of the victim always came naturally as well, but now…figuring out how fairies think, which he had no idea existed until yesterday? On top of that, Shandra's domain was the entirety of this dimensional pocket, with getaway spots that stretch for miles! And Sweets couldn't decide if the semblances of humanity these fairies displayed made the job more or less difficult.

And so, Sweets simply stared into the glass vat filled with beer and baking soda. Without Hodgins's beetles, there were few choices available to them to get the bones cleaned anytime soon. At the bottom was all that remained of their murder victim, her flesh's putrification being sped up by the brew. _What happened to you, Shandra? All these fairies say you're too sharp to be caught unawares, and you made no enemies among us humans. Who could've thought you deserved to end up like this?_ Sweets silently wondered.

"Hey Sweets, isn't there some…shrinky stuff you need to be doing?" came Hodgins's voice. Sweets looked up to see that the entomologist standing over him, occasionally casting glances at the decomposing fairy corpse. His expression was particularly dour.

"One, try not to use the word 'shrinky' while we're around creatures capable of changing your size at will and making you a snack," said Sweets darkly. "Second, it's not like there's any psychological profiles on these fairies I can read, or case files on any potential suspects. I honestly have no idea what Jora expected me to do for her. Hopefully you've got something to pursue."

A faint smile crossed Hodgins's face. The King of the Lab was about address his subjects. "Funny you should ask. Cam found something interesting underneath Shandra's fingernails, but it didn't exactly look like DNA from any potential suspect," explained Hodgins as he walked over to his work station. "There were small masses of some sticky, viscous substance lodged underneath, and I'm preparing a sample for the mass spec. Even better, Cam thinks there might be some pollen trapped in there. So once Exona's fairy legion comes back with samples to cross-reference, that could point us in the right direction."

Sweets couldn't help but notice the underlying bitterness in Hodgins's voice, neatly hidden beneath his usual enthusiasm. Hodgins could hide his brewing agitation from anyone else, perhaps even his wife, but not Sweets. "Dr. Hodgins, there's clearly something on your mind besides isolating pollen samples," Sweets said bluntly. With no real way of helping the investigation, at least he could make sure his co-workers stayed sharp. "When we first got here, you seemed eager to study all the new plant and insect species. That enthusiasm obviously has ebbed."

Hodgins slammed his hands down on his workstation. With a quick pivot, he shot a withering glance at Sweets. "Well, that was _BEFORE_ Booth and Brennan got attacked right outside the alcove we were promised would be a perfectly safe place to work," snapped Hodgins. "After Jora and Milly had no choice but to give up the ghost about this place, Jora assured us we'd have someplace safe to work, where we'd be untouchable. Not only did it turn out our chief bodyguard is some featherbrained snake-chick that makes the habit of eating our kind on a daily basis…."

"Funny. You seemed genuinely enthralled by Crisis when we arrived here," Sweets pointed out.

"Which I'm still getting earfuls about from Angela, by the way, so I don't need it from you," spat Hodgins. "It slowly started to sink in what kind of company we're being entrusted to. And then, after all the assurances we'd be safe, a flock of harpies comes knocking right outside our alcove! As much as I'd love to study the inner workings of a giant naga, I love the idea of my wife and son _NOT _getting eaten alive even more." He fixed Sweets with an even more steely glare. "Come on, Sweets. You really going to insist that none of this makes you uneasy?"

Sweets carefully considered his reply. "If said 'featherbrained snake-chick' hadn't taken on that harpy flock single-handedly, I'd be in perfect agreement. At any rate, Crisis isn't even here now. She's out with Jora, Booth and Brennan, so we've got Noxcia watching over our work area. And Noxcia's made it _very clear_ that she'll never eat a sentient being."

"You can't pretend that none of this makes you little edgy, Sweets, come on," protested Hodgins.

Sweets looked into the vat of beer, at the fairy's decomposing remains. "In a world where even predators who don't do any preying can get cut down like this? Of course not." Sweets recalled Angela's drawing of Shandra. It was never easy, accepting that someone so sprightly could end up in a vat to speed up flesh decomposition. Especially this fairy, whom Exona insisted had a shy, meek persona that masked quick wits and a firm conviction. "But Brennan's counting on us to help her figure out how this could've happened to Shandra. I admit, it's hard to temper my eagerness to study the psychology of these fairies while still remembering we're not exactly 100% safe in this tree."

"Exona was not lying. Even by Felarya standards, you have wisdom that belies your youth," came a calm, knowing voice from just beyond Hodgins's work area. "A genuine eagerness to learn all you can about fairies, all while not forgetting how formidable they are, or how dangerous the world they inhabit is. And not letting fear affect that thirst for knowledge. No wonder Exona spoke highly of you in particular, Dr. Sweets."

Hodgins and Sweets turned to see a man with long, black hair pulled back tightly and large glasses calmly striding toward them. His eyes betrayed a sharpness that somehow ran counter to his relatively athletic physique, and he sported a huge, almost goofy, grin. Sweets instinctively knew who this was, and wasn't sure if his anxiety stemmed from an eagerness to get to work…or wariness of the man. "Frerik Mezzus, I presume?" said Sweets evenly. It wasn't really a question.

The man smiled even more broadly. "That would be me. And you, no doubt, are Lance Sweets, the psychologist who will predict how our fairy-killer thinks, yes?"

"Until Brennan and Jora can find me suspects to profile, I think I should focus on the victim instead. That's where I hoped you might come in," said Sweets.

"Ah, the psychology of fairies. I admit, that was more of Dr. Adroon's forte, but I'll do what I can," said Mezzus kindly. He peered over at the vat housing Shandra's remains. For a moment, Mezzus seemed to forget Sweets and Hodgins were there. "And gleaning secrets from the bones of the deceased. Truly fascinating. Do you think Dr. Brennan will show me how she does it?"

"She let your old protégé be her new intern, so I'd imagine so," Hodgins pointed out. Sweets could tell Hodgins was on his guard as well.

Their uneasiness was not lost on Mezzus, and he addressed it rather bluntly. "You two are less than thrilled with being in the company of dangerous predators. I see that working closely with someone known for being cold and calculating concerning predator research does not encourage confidence, either."

"Well, the stories about experiments on shrunken humans didn't encourage confidence, no," replied Hodgins, being equally blunt.

"Not that it would be possible to do any such experiments at the moment, since you seem to have a good chunk of Felarya's fairies out collecting soil and water samples for you. My wife included, by the way," Mezzus said matter-of-factly. "I did hope that what I've done so far would be enough to earn some trust. Who do you think got the residents of Kortiki Town to cough up that much beer on such short notice? Not to mention get a gaggle of free-spirited fairies to track down all that sodium bicarbonate you added?"

Hodgins frowned a little, realizing how neatly Mezzus maneuvered him. Before Hodgins could bite back, Sweets cut in. "You got us, Mr. Mezzus. Thanks to you, Dr. Brennan will hopefully have bones to examine when she gets back, and yes, I'll make sure you can observe how she studies them. But in the meantime, what can you tell us about Shandra?"

"Yeah, we keep hearing Shandra was a peaceful soul, but wasn't exactly a doormat," added Hodgins. "Lily, in particular, insisted Shandra wouldn't go down without a fight, but we couldn't find much in the way of defensive wounds."

"Oh yes. Lily may cling to some unfortunate misconceptions about us humans, but about Shandra she was absolutely right," said Mezzus.

"Just what is Lily's problem with humanity anyway?" asked Hodgins.

"That…you should ask Lily herself. Can I be there when one of you does? I'd like to see how Lily's reasoning gets countered," said Mezzus silkily. "As for why you could find no evidence of a struggle, perhaps we're not looking in the right place?"

"What do you mean by that, Mezzus?" asked Sweets.

"Tell me, was there any particular reason to expect to find the evidence of a defensive struggle you're used to?" Sweets had always hated professors who answered questions with questions, and Mezzus was reminding him why. He had no idea what Mezzus was getting at, but something seemed to dawn on Hodgins.

"Of course! We wouldn't find the normal defensive wounds because a fairy's first instinct wouldn't be to fight back physically, right?" asked Hodgins, his eyes alight.

Mezzus nodded. "Indeed. Shandra's first instinct would be to lash out with magic."

Hodgins's excitement faded a little as that sank in. "Then…we're back where we started, as far as recreating the murder goes. There's not much our forensics know-how can do where all this hocus-pocus is involved. Don't get me wrong, I'd be thrilled to do actual experimentation where the supernatural is involved, but I don't see how."

"Insisting that science and magic cannot intermingle? You disappoint me, Dr. Hodgins, giving up so easily," said Mezzus. "The disciplines you Jeffersonians have mastered have come into play in my line of work more times than you can imagine. And need I remind you I've been at this research with fairies for a very, very long time?" Mezzus looked back into the vat, at the fairy skeleton being slowly cleaned off. "And I'm sorry to say this isn't my first experience with the bodies of dead fairies. I don't often get the chance, but when I did, my sorcery elucidated many interesting things about fairy physiology."

As Hodgins considered all this, Sweets asked, "I don't suppose you've got a spell that'll give us some more clues about Shandra's murder, do you?" Like Hodgins, he was curious about what real magic could do, having been on the receiving end of it. Yet he couldn't help but remain a little skeptical of its usefulness here.

Mezzus's eyes drifted upward, no doubt racking his brains. "Well, there was this one peculiar spell I developed concerning the fairy brain. I found that with the right time-twisting enchantment, I could get blood in the brain's vessels to revert to exactly where it rested right before death. But no, I don't suppose that is of any use."

It was Sweets's turn to have his face light up with anticipation. "Maybe it can, Mezzus. Dr. Saroyan saved Shandra's brain, and it was well-preserved."

"Yes, I heard Lily was about to constrict your coroner with vines when she spotted her slicing open Shandra's skull," said Mezzus dryly. "But what use is it to you, assuming I remember this enchantment?"

"It'll help to know what parts of Shandra's brain were active right before death," replied Sweets.

"That is, if we assume that a fairy's brain is analogous to a human's. Even if that's the case, we wouldn't know what lobes light up when a fairy blasts something with magic," Hodgins pointed out. Sweets was about to rail on him for being so pessimistic, but then noticed that dangerous glint was back in Hodgins's eyes. Which made Sweets shudder. It could only mean one thing: the King of the Lab was planning an experiment.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Booth knew Sweets was feeling useless, his skills as a psychologist having no application at the moment. But right now, the ex-sniper didn't feel too useful either.

His job was to hit the turf and question possible witnesses, those closest to the deceased…anyone that could get him closer to the killer. Of course, his years of training and air of authority back home always helped….

Not so much in Felarya. Just how was he supposed to coax answers out of yet another giant snake-girl, who looked like she had half a mind to gobble him up right then and there?

Booth, Bones, Crisis, Jora and Exona had made it back to the outskirts of this 'Ur-Sagol', which overlapped the stretch of the Tolmeshal Forest that Shandra flew around when in a funk. Booth wanted to question all the regulars in the area. He winced inwardly when told that included Milly from before, but questioning her could be delayed for two reasons. First, if she knew anything useful, doubtless she would have spilled it already. Secondly, Crisis pointed out there were other predators in this stretch besides Milly.

And so, Crisis took them to Jissy, a _RELATIVELY _short naga with freckles and frizzy, red hair. The sun hovered almost directly overhead, angled behind Jissy, filtering through her red hair and drawing more attention to it. Booth wondered if the term 'ginger' would get him a one-way ticket down Jissy's esophagus. Her stern look as she loomed over them dissuaded Booth from trying. Anxiety getting the better of him, Booth glanced sideways at Jissy's green tail, which was coiled around the huge tree stump that he, Bones and Exona stood on.

Some distance behind them, Jora and Crisis looked on, but it was the additional weight of _ANOTHER _giant naga's stare that Booth felt. Amazingly, this one was male. Right behind Jissy was Ajab, supposedly her lover. _Just when I was wondering if this was an all giant woman fantasy world,_ Booth thought to himself. Ajab's tail was a dark orange, but patterns of forest green could be seen among the top scales. Interestingly, Booth could also spot flecks of grey in Ajab's short, black hair. _So much for Felarya making you ageless._

"Not to be blunt, but I'm not liking the tone behind your questions all that much," said Jissy, her voice making Booth look back up. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you believe I killed this poor fairy." The purpose of some questioning sessions was to lean on people, make them more apt to spill something, but Booth wasn't about to mention that. His unease was mirrored by yet another member of Jissy's family. Roshan, a middle-aged guy with reddish-blonde hair and a scruffy, thick beard, sat on Jissy's shoulder. His body language betrayed embarrassment, for some reason, as well as anxiety.

Booth tried to think of a reply, but Bones cut in with _her_ usual bluntness. "Booth knows that it's statistically impossible for a naga like yourself to kill a fairy in that fashion. Shandra would have sensed your approach and simply fly off. Assuming you could have snuck up without alerting Shandra, her injuries show evidence of a precision strike with just the right amount of force, something a being of your size would have difficulty with. On top of that, you have no discernible motive."

Jissy's unnerving gaze was now fixated on Bones instead. No doubt Jissy didn't like having what she _COULDN'T_ do waved in her face. "Thank you for the vote of confidence," Jissy said at length. Her eyes narrowed a little more. "I wish I could return the favor. Do forgive me, but I don't see what Jora was thinking, bringing you here to find a fairy-killer."

"Jora needed someone to examine Shandra's remains to find evidence that would point her in the right direction," Bones calmly replied. Booth envied how quickly Bones had fallen back into her old mannerisms. He still hadn't shaken the dread from that harpy attack. "From what I've observed so far, with Felarya's massive predators that eat humans whole, coupled with the longevity of the sentient beings in this world, no native residents of Felarya would bother practicing and perfecting forensics. Thus I have skills no one else in your world can offer."

For a moment, Booth was afraid Jissy and Ajab would get riled by Bones pointing out their eating habits so blithely, not to mention Bones tooting her own horn. But thankfully, neither looked any more sour than they already were. They saw Bones's reply for what it was: an overly blunt analysis.

"Then I suggest you get back to Shandra's body and see what you find there," said Ajab gravely. "I have heard of Shandra, and she is not a fairy that can be found easily if she wishes to stay hidden. If she was truly distraught during those last few days, she would've ensured no one found her."

"Except whoever skewered her," Booth pointed out. Ajab snorted, but made no other reply.

"Wait a minute…this blue-haired fairy, did you say she had LONG hair!?" asked Roshan suddenly.

"Uh, yeah. Why?" asked Booth.

Roshan rubbed his temples. "Sorry, I just kept thinking of Lucilya for some reason. She hasn't been in these parts in weeks, but this Shandra…yeah, I saw her. A couple weeks ago, she sought me out personally."

"Personally? Was there something Shandra wanted from you?" asked Bones.

"She…just wanted to ask me something," said Roshan. "She wanted to know if I felt regret about Jissy."

Jissy shot an odd look over at Roshan. "About me? Why?"

"About bringing you Felarya in the first place. About freeing you, even though it meant there'd be another predator doing harm to humans, and if I ever regretted my choice," explained Roshan.

"Wait a minute, Jissy here was held prisoner…somewhere else, until you sprang her?" asked Booth.

Roshan nodded. "She was kidnapped as a baby and held in captivity by a crime lord, kept as an exotic pet. I was one her caretakers, and the first chance I saw to free her and get her back to Felarya, I took it without a second thought." Roshan must've caught the furtive look in Booth's eyes. "Think of me what you will, Agent Booth, but you hadn't seen Jissy in purgatory for years. I saw someone I'd grown fond of suffering day after day, and chose to do something about it."

_Even though that choice had consequences for hundreds of people here, who had no say,_ Booth thought, but wisely bit his tongue.

"I told Shandra that I cared for Jissy too much to let it go on," Roshan went on. "I guess she was facing a decision that would also have repercussions for a lot of people. Something was clearly on her mind, but when I tried to press the issue, Shandra flew off. Next I hear of Shandra, you're telling me the Negav killer got to her."

Something was clearly bugging their victim up until her death, but Booth had gathered that much already. "Her fellow fairies don't know what Shandra was up to, you don't know…. Is there anyone who might have a clue what Shandra may have been involved in?"

Ajab and Jissy shrugged their shoulders, nearly making Roshan lose his footing. "All I can recommend is maybe paying Vivian a visit. She seems to have the right information, right when you need it. She even had some surprisingly helpful tips for when I finally lay my eggs," said Jissy.

"Yeah well…your _WHAT!?_" spat Booth incredulously.

Jissy stroked her fingers across her belly. "Oh yes, Ajab and I will have two beautiful little naga babies soon enough," she said with a devilish grin. "Don't be so shocked. It seems to be a regular thing around here lately, having children to call your own. Jora's adopted Tanny, this Remus fellow has a new baby of his own to look after. And can I assume that this lovely little anthropologist is carrying yours?"

For once, Bones was taken completely aback. "You already knew I'm pregnant? How did you find out?"

Jissy noisily sniffed the air. "I can smell it."

That seemed to placate Bones. "I suppose the chorionic gonadotropin and progesterone cause physiological changes that people with heightened senses of smell can detect."

"Uhhh, sure, we'll go with that," said Jissy, confused.

Seeing there was little point in prolonging things there, Booth thanked them for their cooperation as Jora moved in to retrieve he and Bones. Jora and Crisis waved good-bye to the naga couple as they retreated back into the thick foliage of Tolmeshal Forest. Booth said nothing for a good long while as he and Bones clung to Jora's shoulder. _It's not just that I can't throw my weight around in Felarya. It's a longshot finding anyone who'll know what Shandra's been up to, period._ That knowledge wasn't making Booth feel any less useless.

"So who is this Vivian that Jissy mentioned? How reliable of a source is she?" Bones asked.

"Very reliable. She devised the spell that linked the Ur-Sagol gate to the mirror in your museum," said Jora.

"Plus, she's really smart, and seems to know everything!" Crisis beamed. Clearly, this kid adored Vivian, the way a little girl gushes over her cool big sister. But then, concern swept across Crisis's face. "Oh, but hopefully we can do something about the, errr, aura around her part of Chordoni Falls."

"Let me guess, some sort of localized enchantment that affects our kind?" asked Bones, her voice dripping with dubiousness.

"You're righter than you know," said Exona. Their fairy intern fluttered up beside them at human size, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "And don't take this the wrong way, Booth, but it's you we're more worried about. Let's just say that Vivian has…a certain effect on men."

For a moment, Booth feared Bones would get defensive and jealous, but she digested this in her usual stoic manner. "So long as Vivian's got some information we can use, she can exert this 'certain effect' as much as she likes," spat Booth. As Jora and Crisis trudged on, Booth looked up through the canopy of trees. The gentle sunlight trickled through, alleviating the foreboding atmosphere of Tolmeshal Forest, but then, Booth noticed something odd. "Weird, the color of the sunlight…it's a weird orange-yellow. Yesterday, it was just straight-up yellow."

"Oh, that's another weird thing about Felarya. It's truly a flux-y dimension all to itself, for it can have one sun in the sky one day, and a completely different one the next," explained Exona as she flew up behind them.

"Th-th-th-that completely defies all known tenants of cosmology," stammered Bones. Booth suspected Bones wanted to say more, but couldn't quite string together a coherent sentence.

"It gets better, Dr. Brennan, on top of everything else, Felarya really isn't on a planet. There's not even any 'outer space' once you get above the atmosphere here," Exona went on cheerfully. She flew up right behind them, slinging an arm around each of their shoulders. "There's a surprising amount of research done on this subject, and I can go back to Kortiki Town and dig up some books. But I suspect, Dr. Brennan, you would rather I focus on what's relevant to the case, since that's how things roll back on Earth, right? I bet you'll just put Felarya's cosmological quirkiness out of your mind, too, just as Sherlock Holmes never bothered to understand heliocentric theory."

"Well, there's no denying that once Bones gets involved in a case, she stick with it and…" Booth trailed off as something clicked. "Hang on Exona. You didn't get that Lord of the Rings reference yesterday, but you know all about Sherlock Holmes?"

"It's not like I have regular access to this Library of Congress or anything," Exona pointed out. "I only can get my hands on books from Earth that've landed in Felarya thanks to dimensional tears or whatever. So no, none of this Lord of the Rings stuff, but I've read every single Sherlock Holmes story. And now…it's like I'm living one. Like Dr. Watson tagging along with a detective possessing an animalistic lust for chasing perps. Of course, Dr. Brennan is the actual doctor and you're the one who was actually in this Afghanistan place…."

"As much as Doyle's work stimulates intellectual curiosity, works of fiction never truly mirror real life, Ms. Exona," Bones pointed out.

Far from feeling chastised, Exona kept on smiling. "Oh don't worry, Dr. Brennan. Enough college-level textbooks from your world have made it into my hands to ensure I can keep up with you."

"Wow, do all fairies have a thing for books?" asked Booth.

"Who says you're not as sharp as Dr. Brennan?" quipped Exona. "Back at the Giant Tree, Sweets is no doubt gleaning everything he can from Mezzus about fairy psychology. But I'll give you a little-known nugget right now. One of the best ways to get a hungry fairy off your back is to hand her or him a book."

Despite himself, Booth felt he could forget they were working closely with a potentially lethal predator. He would have to ask Sweets later if this sort of amiable demeanor was normal, even for the truly predatory fairies. For the moment, however, Booth could put aside his anxieties concerning Exona, at least. "So, any other books from Earth you're fond of?"

Exona's face lit up. "Oh yes! In fact, any chance anyone on your team has the latest Dune prequels? I absolutely loved the original, ever since I read the start of the original, with the…."

Crisis was slithering some distance ahead of Jora, and held up her hand for the giantess to stop. "Hang on everyone, I'm smelling something…something I shouldn't smell in Tolmeshal Forest."

"Not your next meal, I hope," Booth couldn't help but blurt out.

Crisis looked back and smiled innocently. "Well, I think I smell other humans in at least three different spots, but from over there I've got a faint whiff of..." Crisis sniffed again. "Brimstone?"

"Great. Please don't tell me folks from Hell itself are mixed up in this," Jora huffed.

"Wait a minute, you speak as if Hell is a real place," said Bones.

"Oh it's very real," said Crisis brightly. "And the tummyaches I had after my contest with Menyssan there…very real."

Booth didn't want Crisis to explain what the contest was about: he could pretty much guess. And hearing a firsthand account that Hell, something he always believed in anyway, was for real…at that moment, he took no solace in Bones learning he was right all along.

However, Jora was quick to point out, "Yeah, it's not like what orthodox Christianity describes Hell as being, but it's for real. In any case, if something's come here from Hell, we should investigate. Crisis, lead the way."

Showing no ebb in her cheerfulness, Crisis veered toward a copse off to their left, forming a ring with an open field in the center. Crisis sniffed the air again, then her gaze tilted downward. "It's down on the ground level, something small, but I don't think I'm sensing a human. Quite powerful, maybe a succubus at human size."

"You're saying that demons from Earth's myriad of superstitious belief systems are for real as well?" Bones couldn't help but ask."

"Dr. Brennan, you hitched a ride on an old friend who wound up breaking multiple tenants of biology and physics. Give it a rest," said Jora tersely. "At any rate, you, Booth and Exona should get down there and investigate. If it's something involving Hell, it could involve our murders."

"On it, Jora," said Exona cheerfully. The intern wrapped her arms around Bones and Booth's torsos and took off from Jora's shoulder without warning. Booth doubted he'd ever get used to hitching rides from fairies and giantesses. Exona landed near the base of the closest tree in the ring. Booth looked to the ring's other side…at least a football field's length away. Could it be any clearer that this Felarya was _MADE_ for these giant chicks?

"What have we here?" Booth heard Exona ask, right before he heard gloves being snapped on. Booth turned to see Exona holding a small, metallic tube. "A Vishmatali. Flip this baby out, and you've got yourself an excellent close-range weapon. This one still has plenty of poison. Slam this into the hand of the predator that just grabbed you, and watch her squirm."

"Then why isn't this standard issue for the poor souls that're dragged here on commission work?" Booth said tersely. "Never mind. Where's this denizen of Hell that's supposedly..."

"Over here, Booth," came Bones's calm voice. Steeling himself, Booth followed her voice. There was a huge, thick root that formed an arch before digging into the ground. Bones squatted underneath it, cradling someone their size, but out cold. But Booth had to fight back the instinct to scream and drag Bones away….

For the first time, Booth knew he was face-to-face with an actual demon.

This woman had tanned, reddish skin, long raven-black hair, and a tattoo of a 'G' surrounded by patterned lines on her left shoulder. She looked quite young, almost like a teenager. But what stood out were the large, bat-like wings drooping lifelessly over Bones's knees. Rounding out her hellish appearance were pointed, elfin ears, and right above both were two short, stubby bone outgrowths jutting from her black hair.

Not sculpted coral implants that looked like demon's horns. _REAL_ demon horns. It took every ounce of Booth's resolve and discipline to avoid breaking down. If he'd learned anything about Felarya, it was that to give in to fear was to invite death.

"So, it is a succubus," said Exona evenly. "Strange, she appears to be shivering as well. Anyone who could induce such a chill in a succubus must be… Booth, your jacket. Drape it over her. The quicker she gets over this chill and recovers, the sooner you get answers."

Booth hesitated for a moment, but then dumbly obliged. He handed his jacket to Bones, who promptly slid it over the succubus's arms and covered her front. Naturally, with her wings, wearing it normally was not an option.

By now, Crisis and Jora were looming over them, curious as well. "Hey, it's Zycra! She must've gotten bored again and came up to Felarya for a hunt! Funny, I wonder what happened to her," Crisis thought aloud.

Exona stepped a little closer, and that seemed to trigger something. Zycra's eyes snapped open…hauntingly golden eyes darted around as the rest of her remained still. The instant they fixed on Exona, she lunged away from Bones, right at the fairy. Booth gasped, too unnerved by the demon to even reach for his gun.

However, Exona seemed to anticipate this, and activated the Vishmitali. A staff about her height appeared, and holding it in both hands, she shoved it forward, bringing it up under Zycra's chin, stopping the succubus in her tracks. "You're the one who likes to de-power fairies with a kiss, then chow down, right Zycra?" Exona asked calmly. The succubus stared back blankly, the hungry look in her eyes never fading. "Sorry, I've got too much important work to do to expire just yet."

"Zycra, is it? Can you tell us what happened here? We understand that to encounter a succubus in such a vulnerable state is highly unusual. It might be linked to the murders we're investigating." Booth admired how Bones was putting up a more stoic front than he was. Still, he could tell the revelation that demons were real shook her to the core as well.

Zycra's gaze wildly shot between the three of them, but she eventually noticed the two predators looming overhead. After staring at Crisis for a moment, something seemed to dawn on Crisis. A smile even more sly than Exona's crossed Zycra's face. "Well now, the mighty Crisis herself, in the company of two humans yet to be introduced to her digestive tract." There was a bit of a Latina accent to Zycra's voice. "Indeed, my little flutterbug, something big must be up." Zycra took another step forward, but her knees buckled, forcing Booth to steady her. For a moment, irrational fear took hold of Booth, thinking he would crumble to ash just from touching this demon. Yet Zycra felt unusually cold, not hellishly hot.

"Zycra, we can get you someplace safe to recuperate until you're well enough for a trip back to Hell, but for the moment, we need information," said Exona. "We're trying to track down someone who's killed thirteen Negav citizens and now a fairy. A friend of mine called Shandra."

"Any chance your time in, well, Hell itself can shed some light on these killings?" Booth added hopefully, though he couldn't completely keep his voice from shaking.

Zycra backed away from Exona and shook her head. "No can do, big guy. Haven't been around those parts of Hell in weeks. Just been flitting around here and there, going wherever fancy strikes me. Then a couple or so days ago - not quite sure how long I've been out – I'm flying through these parts of Tolmeshal Forest at human size. I'm getting hungry, and lo and behold, I catch a whiff of fairy magic. So I come in low into this rings of trees, and I see a few fairies hanging with a bunch of humans. Soldiers too, judging from their dress, but didn't catch a glimpse of any emblems or nothin'."

"Wait, there were fairies and humans together, and the former weren't preying on these soldiers?" Bones asked, her dubiousness mirroring Booth's own.

"Nope. Looked like they were best buds and all," said Zycra. "But y'know what was really interesting? What was going on in that field in this ring." Zycra glanced over to the wide-open field. "Well, look at that. Stretches of upturned earth from where those harpies were stomping around, and they're still there."

"Hold on, now _HARPIES _are involved in this?" barked Booth. He was _NOT _eager to face those monsters again.

"Oh yeah. I'm not exactly an army brat or anything, but from the looks of it, those harpies were running battle drills, with the human soldiers callin' the shots," said Zycra, brushing off Booth's incredulity. "Those big feathered broads, however, there was something odd about them. As if they were zombies, devoid of souls. Wait, scratch that. I've seen _PLENTY_ of examples of folks with shattered souls going about listlessly. This was far creepier…."

"I wonder if this was the same harpy flock that attacked us at the Giant Tree," said Bones. "Zycra, was there a purple-haired fairy with pauldrons among them?"

Zycra shook her head again. "I…really didn't get a good look at all of them. Maybe. Needless to say, I was a bit shocked by the whole scene. Not something you see everyday in a place like Felarya. But before I could figure out what to do, I get bushwhacked. Some intense blast of cold from behind, and_ I'M_ out cold."

A sudden twinge of bitterness now marred Zycra's carefree demeanor. "Next thing I know, I wake up with you five hovering over me. A fair sight better than a bunch of zipped-lipped harpies, jack-booted human thugs and their fairy girlfriends, that's for sure." Zycra looked up at Booth, flashing a wicked smile. "Especially you, sweet cheeks. A soldier boy yourself I can tell, one with an aversion to us demons, but still trying to be a gentleman. You're not an everyday find either."

Booth felt Zycra grab his butt, and prayed that Bones hadn't seen it. Bones wasn't the type to explode with jealousy, but she didn't take the power of demons seriously, and Booth didn't need her picking a fight with one.

But before anyone could figure out their next course of action, Booth heard Crisis sniff the air again. "Great, what've you picked up this time, Crisis? Some giant human centipede? A big flock of ravenous baboons?"

Crisis giggled. "Of course not, silly! Nix is the nearest chilotaur, but she's some distance away at the Bach. And it's the wrong time of year for a bloodclaw ape swarm."

Booth felt a chill that had nothing to do with the demon latching onto him. Just how many more unwelcome surprises was Felarya going to throw at them?

Crisis sniffed again. "Hmmm, I'm smelling…metal? Tough metal, but not quite like Anna's machines. And those clothes things, but a lot of it. Maybe big clothes for a predator, and…."

Crisis suddenly fell silent, her eyes widening. Crisis did not seem fearful, as far as Booth could tell, but there was concern in those sapphire eyes nonetheless. "Jora, k-k-keep an eye on Booth, Brennan and Zycra. I have a hunch things'll get pretty…hectic."

Booth was about to ask Crisis what was wrong, but the naga turned away from them. She grabbed a thick branch from a nearby tree, one level with her breasts, and pulled it back. The wood was elastic enough to bend back at a 45° angle.

The next instant, something _TITANIC_ erupted from the trees, something bigger than even Crisis! Booth caught a glimpse of flowing brown hair, a huge blur of red cloth, and the glint of polished metal. As soon as it emerged, Crisis let go of the branch while lurching backward. There was a loud "OOOF!" Whoever or whatever is was, momentary shock got the better of it. A loud thud made Booth look back to the forest floor. The branch Crisis had bent back…two huge pieces of it now lay in the field! As if two huge blades had sliced it apart.

"Oh, I figured it was you. Hello, Kai! What's up? Is something the matter?" Crisis asked innocently.

Booth looked back up. Crisis had staggered back into the field, but now at the ring of trees…there was _ANOTHER _naga, one a couple dozen feet taller than Crisis! This one had scales with a weird orange-brown hue. Not only that, they looked incredibly thick and durable, as if they could shrug off a shelling from a Panzer division. She also indeed had long, brown hair, but curiously, a cowlick jutted skyward from Kai's head. What drew everyone's eye, however, was the red garment that somewhat resembled a kimono, which went down quite a ways below her waist. That, and the two huge katanas Kai had at the ready.

"Don't play dumb with me, Crisis!" roared Kai. "I know what you're responsible for. The level of gluttony and carnage I saw back there…even _I _cannot stand idly by! _NOT THIS TIME!_"

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Felarya character credits:

Crisis, Anna Demorah, Temi, Léa, Lily, Belletia, Melany, Subeta, Aya and Frerik Mezzus belong to Karbo

Milly, Isham, Elia, Calina, Lucilya, Jissy, Roshan, Ajab and Pal Sebrit belong to FrenchSnack

Jora Fenderen, Jade and Tanny belong to Ravana3K

Remus vir Patstriker and Xanthe belong to NickInAmerica

Katrika belongs to Zoekin3

Milia Moonlieth and Zycra Zordford belong to vaderaz

Seliky Serela belongs to kikijonson

Fiona belongs to rcs169

Noxcia belongs to turboman500

Kai belongs to JiroKatsu

Exona, General Garrardo and Shandra belong to yours truly, Grey-X


	6. The Sins of a Slug Girl

Dynamic Equilibrium

a Bones/Felarya crossover

Chapter 6: The Sins of a Slug Girl

5-21-2013

by Greyman

Disclaimer: Bones and all related characters are the property of 20th Century Fox. Felarya is the creation and property of Karbo, and all associated characters are the property of their respective creators.

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Dr. Brennan anxiously looked up from one giant naga to the next, several trains of thought racing through her mind. One dealt with how blades of such length and thickness could possibly stay intact and slice through a tree. Another made Temperance wonder why Crisis didn't look fearful of Kai. Kai was livid, and doubtless ready to spring forward and disembowel the younger, voracious naga.

Hoping to stave off a messy affair, Jora stepped in between them. Clearly, this Kai had a reputation for fierceness. Temperance could sense how timorous the giantess was, despite her best effort to mask it. "Kai, listen to me. You're making a mistake. Crisis has been with me all morning, and stuck around the Giant Tree all night. There's no way she could have…."

But Kai was in no mood to listen. Before Temperance knew it, a rush of air made her legs wobble. Kai's armored tail swung over them, aiming to floor Jora.

Jora screamed, but Crisis parried the blow with her own tail. Crisis grimaced as their tails collided. Temperance wasn't surprised. Kai's blow looked as if it could have cleaved an aircraft carrier, but Crisis took it.

"Kai, please! I don't want to fight you!" Crisis pleaded. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"This kid's _NOT_ playing dumb. Even if we weren't her ironclad alibi, I'd buy that Crisis is clueless about whatever Kai's yammering about," said Booth.

"We still know too little about naga psychology to make that call," Temperance pointed out. "Still, I think I believe you…."

"Well, _I _know Crisis well enough," said Exona. "And even if Crisis weren't innocent, we have an investigation to get back to. Doctor, allow me."

Before Temperance could ask what her new intern intended to do, Exona flew ahead. An instant later, as Kai swung her katanas again, Exona enlarged herself. Now standing in front of Jora and Crisis, Exona extended the Vishmitali into a staff once again, and parried Kai's blades.

"Uh-oh. Don't tell me your fairy buddy aims to fight _KAI _one-on-one," Zycra croaked. "Kai's a feared name, even in Hell…."

Jora echoed Zycra's disbelief. "Exona, are you insane!? You won't survive five minutes in a fight with Kai!"

"And you two would last for an even lesser amount of time," replied Exona coolly.

Kai snarled and lashed out again, this time with a single katana swipe. Exona effortlessly parried it, but then Kai swung her other sword. Exona brought up the bottom of her staff and deflected it as well. Then Exona rushed forward. While holding her metal staff tightly in both hands, she butted the underside of Kai's chin with it, knocking her back. Exona aimed to strike Kai upside the head after whirling around, but Kai brought up her katanas to parry her attack. Kai kept radiating fury, but clearly knew she could be put on the defensive.

Exona and Kai circled each other for a moment before the fairy intern pressed on. She made simple swipes, all of which Kai parried, but Temperance knew Exona was taking Kai's measure, testing her defenses. Booth and Zycra were transfixed, looking up at the two dueling predators in awe. Temperance had to admit it was a bizarre, logic-defying spectacle, but she also took note of what was happening on ground level. The careful movements of Kai's belly muscles as she slithered about, Exona's practiced foot movements that ensured the proper balance and maneuverability…. The latter's car-sized feet swept perilously close to them, seeming to effortlessly glide, hardly making the ground quake….

From her appearance, Temperance guessed Kai gave the impression of a trained, disciplined swordswoman, but all she radiated now was blind rage. Losing all patience, she lunged at Exona. The fairy was forced back by Kai's ferocity, but still managed to block all her sword blows. A few times, Kai came dangerously close to slicing off Exona's arm or leg, or driving a katana through her heart, but Exona never let these close calls get to her.

Then, at last, Kai made a critical mistake. She lunged forward to stab with too much momentum. Exona twirled around to avoid her clumsy stab, and while beside Kai, she thrust the point of the Vishmitali into Kai's back. With a shriek, the armored naga crumpled, overwhelmed by the stinging toxin.

Jora nervously looked down, then kicked Kai's katanas away. Exona stepped back a little, refusing to strike while Kai was down, but held her Vishmitali at the ready. "Please tell me you'll listen to reason now, Kai," the fairy pleaded.

"Come on, Kai, this isn't like you," added Jora. "Jade told me your code forbids you to kill out of blind anger."

Kai grunted exasperatedly as she propped herself up; no doubt her pride was hurt worse than her body. "B-B-But…that carnage can't go u-u-unanswered," Kai gurgled out. "An entire unit of those humans, those who c-c-call themselves Delurans…. Those little truck things, so many of t-t-them…they m-m-must've had a good thirty or forty humans out. And gone, all gone, their equipment left behind…."

Jora and Crisis looked at each other for a moment. Temperance frowned. They clearly knew something she and Booth didn't, something about these 'Delurans'.

Booth felt the same way. "Who are the Delurans?" he whispered to Zycra.

"Not from Felarya. They come from another world, but more or less set up a permanent base here decades ago, and've been involved in scouting and research expeditions ever since," explained Zycra.

"Why would anyone sanction expeditions into such a hostile world?" asked Temperance. "Is there anything of material or scientific value here in Felarya that the Delurans desire that badly?"

The succubus shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not that good at figuring out how you humans think. All I know is that for some Delurans…Felarya is actually preferable to home."

Temperance was going to ask why, but another gargled choke from Kai made her look back out to the field. "I-I-It was you, Crisis, i-i-it couldn't be anyone else…."

Surprising even herself, Temperance ran out into the field, toward the armored naga. Booth took off after her with Zycra in tow, launching vehement protests. Soon enough, Temperance stood a few yards from Kai as she lifted her head. Her vision must have been blurry, because Kai had to squint before she seemed to realize someone was there. "Excuse me, Kai, but what makes you assume Crisis is responsible for the instance of predation you stumbled upon? Jora wasn't lying about Crisis having an alibi for the entire morning."

Through the haze, Kai looked down at Temperance with something resembling astonishment. As if a human simply walking up to talk to her…Kai desired it, but couldn't believe it was happening. The dumbfounded look soon faded, replaced by a vehement, steely gaze.

"There were huge swaths in the soil, which could've only come from a swiftly moving naga. Crisis is more than capable of such deftness," said Kai. "What's more, I found a long strand of blond hair. Fiona resides close by in the Bulvon Wood, but…she would_ NEVER_ eat so many humans at one time! It _HAS_ to be Crisis!"

Undaunted, without missing a beat, Temperance asked, "Do you still have this hair? May I examine it?"

Kai blinked in surprise. Temperance wondered how much contact with humans Kai had, but evidently, she never encountered one like her. Kai had a dubious look, but evidently decided there was no harm in her request. She reached into her kimono and pulled out a thick, blond strand of hair at least eight yards long.

Without even looking up, Temperance called out, "Crisis, I'll need a strand of your hair for comparison." Temperance could feel Crisis's dubious stare on her back, but ignored it. She heard a soft grunt from above. Just as a shadow fell over her, Temperance saw another long, yellow cord dangle in front of her. Temperance reached out for it, and placed the two impossibly thick hairs side-by-side. It took less than a second to see the obvious.

"Kai, this wasn't Crisis's hair," Temperance said plainly. "Crisis is not responsible."

Now Temperance could feel the weight of Kai's disbelieving gaze without seeing it. "B-B-But…it was a naga.… Who else is gluttonous enough to-to-to…."

"I don't yet know enough about Felarya's nagas to answer that, Kai," Temperance said bluntly. "However, from my vantage point, I can see that the colors are slightly different. In addition, the texture and moisture levels also don't match. The hair you recovered, Kai…it appears to belong to a naga that's resided in an arid environment, one with frequent, harsh winds. Given the extreme volume-to-surface area ratio of naga hair, the true perpetrator must have spent a long time in such conditions, possibly several months. Crisis spends much of her time in these humid forests."

Kai stared down dumbly at Temperance. The swordsnaga was not stupid, Temperance could tell, and could follow her reasoning. Still, disbelief was etched in Kai's features. Temperance looked back down and pulled up the hairs' ends. "Not only that, the root bulb of the hair you found…it looks similar to the one on Crisis's. Both are consistent with hairs that were harshly pulled out."

"What for? Was someone trying to frame Crisis?" asked Booth.

"The Delurans are terrified of Crisis. If someone wanted to mislead them, pointing the finger at Crisis is a good way to do it," said Zycra.

"Where would they find another blond naga who'd yank out a hair for them, plus wriggle around in the dirt?" Jora wondered.

"Whatever the reason, it is clear I've acted…dishonorably," Kai croaked. "Jora, you were right before. I let unreasoning fury take hold…."

Temperance was at a loss for words now, but Crisis slithered over to Kai's side. "Kai, it's OK. Mistakes happen," she said sweetly, draping an arm around Kai's shoulder.

It was a bizarre scene. Crisis was innocent in this case, yet Temperance knew the naga had to be responsible for countless other atrocities. And yet here she was, capable of such kindness and understanding, even toward someone aiming to kill her moments ago. It was all so offputting, how paradoxical Crisis, and many aspects of Felarya, could be….

Kai placed a hand over Crisis's. "Yet I have no excuse. I've made this mistake before. Long ago, I once let fury get the better of me. I can…still remember the end of that day, coated in dried blood." Temperance didn't want to think of how many other giant creatures Kai needed to kill to be drenched in blood…or the volume of blood in question. "I swore to myself, never again. But today, somehow, all reason abandoned me…."

As the nagas consoled each other, Booth whispered to Temperance, "Think our case has anything to do with what Zycra and Kai stumbled upon?"

"We currently don't have enough data to make any connections," said Temperance.

"Well, I'm going out on a limb here, but Roshan said something was gnawing at Shandra. What if Shandra was working with human militias, maybe the Delurans…and she wasn't the only fairy who was?" Booth suggested.

"But if Shandra was working with Delurans, and possibly a naga…why would they have their own troops attacked and devoured?" Temperance pointed out.

Booth glanced heavenward and sighed, deep in thought. Figuring out the logistics of military ventures was a task better suited for Booth, but there was still so much about Felarya they didn't know. Compiling usable data about this world was a slow process….

Booth's train of thought was interrupted by, of all things, the ringing of his phone. Needless to say, their doubts over whether Anna and Seliky could get them to work in Felarya were baseless. Kai and Crisis glanced down at them, even more confused. However, Exona seemed to know what the ringing meant, and shrank back down to their height. "Hopefully this means Saroyan and Hodgins found something, right?" she asked brightly.

"Yeah, let's hope," said Booth dryly, taking out his phone. "Booth here."

Temperance wasn't standing close enough to overhear the conversation, though she could faintly here Hodgins's voice. Seeing Temperance's stare, Booth said, "Something about some goop under Shandra's nails, and some pollen trapped in it." His gaze veered away from her for a moment. "What, Hodgins? A _MUCO_-polysacca…something? Matrilin-like protein? Come on, Hodgins, even Felarya's magic can't translate that mumbo-jumbo for me. Just give it…."

Exona yanked the phone right out of Booth's hand. Then she put it to her ear, obviously knowing exactly how it worked. "Dr. Hodgins, you found evidence of slug slime under Shandra's nails, didn't you?" she asked in a no-nonsense manner. Temperance's eyes widened. After the way she fended off Kai, Exona suddenly adopting a serious demeanor shouldn't have surprised Temperance, yet it did.

Exona wasn't finished. "What about the pollen grains trapped in the slug slime?" Temperance heard Hodgins continue after a slight pause. Exona simply nodded for a few moments. "Those sound like adaptations you'd see in pollen from rain forest trees, correct?"

Another pause from Hodgins. Exona pressed on. "And what about the quantity of spores from fungi and mosses?" Leaning closer, Temperance heard Hodgins rattle off a host of different fungal and bryophyte spores he found. It sounded like he was comparing them to analogous species on Earth. "All evidence pointing to a marshy, tropical region. One last thing, Dr. Hodgins: is there any hint of particulates from sedimentary rock exposed to millions of years of weathering? There is? Thanks, Dr. Hodgins. We officially have our first person of interest."

Exona handed the phone back to a flummoxed Booth, then turned to Temperance. "Dr. Brennan, it looks like seeing Vivian will have to wait. We need to get to Bulvon Wood."

"Why? Who's in Bulvon Wood?" demanded Booth.

"A slug girl by the name of Velvet," said Exona.

That meant nothing to Temperance, but Crisis seemed to catch on. "Oh, I get it! Hodgins found plant parts from Bulvon Wood, and the bits of rock must be from the Bach!"

"Plus, she's the only slug girl we know with a sour enough attitude to get mixed up in whatever's going on," Jora added darkly.

"And here I thought you peeps were interested in helping me find who bushwhacked me and tried to frame Crisis," Zycra said with mock indignation. "Care to explain to me and Kai just what you're all up to?"

Temperance was hesitant, but Crisis, throwing caution to the wind, explained everything. Kai looked down at Temperance and Booth, clearly nonplussed. "You're here in this dangerous land…all because of a debt you owe Jora? That's…incredibly noble."

"Then I guess lending me and Kai a hand is out of the question," said Zycra, pouting.

"Not necessarily. Bones will insist we need more data, but I'm betting all these things are interconnected somehow," said Booth.

Temperance nodded. "There is a possibly, but Booth's right about needing more data. If you want answers, there's a chance we can help."

Zycra and Kai stared blankly at them for a moment, then nodded dully. "Very well. Zycra, if you'll let Kai take you to the site where the Deluran unit was decimated, you can use this camera to take photographs of the scene." She fished a camera out of the equipment bag and tossed it to Zycra. "You…do know how to operate a camera, correct?"

Zycra fidgeted with the camera for a moment. "Yeah, I can dope it out. But not to seem like a selfish prima donna or anything, but how does this help with _MY_ little mystery?"

"Kai can take you back to the Giant Tree, where Dr. Hodgins can hopefully find some trace evidence on your person," explained Temperance.

"Just be sure not to revert to giant size before then, otherwise said evidence may be compromised," Exona pointed out.

"And if Kai can bring the Delurans' abandoned vehicles to the Giant Tree, along with our mystery naga's hair, we might find even more stuff we can use," added Booth.

"I…will do as you ask. I am grateful for your willingness to help after my…shameful display," said Kai weakly. After taking back the hair from Temperance, Kai rose to her full, towering height. Zycra flew up to Kai's shoulder and perched herself there, and then Kai slowly retreated back into the woods. Temperance could see Booth shudder with relief, now that the succubus was gone.

"Well, that ended with no limbs severed and no one being dumped into a stomach, and we've got a lead to boot. So far, this morning's investigation has gone swimmingly, I'd say," said Exona cheerfully.

Temperance stared at Exona for a moment. Exona was starting to remind her of Daisy Wick. The unrestrained enthusiasm, being overly eager…Temperance was wondering if it was wise to let Exona serve as her intern. _At least she doesn't run her mouth_ TOO_ much,_ Temperance admitted to herself. _And Exona _IS _serving as our guide in Felarya, and thinks she knows where Hodgins's findings point to. On top of that, she obvious has a bit of combat training…._

"Then I guess we're off to Bulvon Wood!" cried Crisis, smiling. "I hope we find something to eat on the way to the Bach…."

"Uh, Crisis, you _do_ remember what I explained to you earlier?" Jora asked delicately. "How we...I mean you, you can't…."

Crisis looked confused for a moment. "I can't…what?" A few moments later, it dawned on her. "Oh yeah, that. No hunting humans while we're out, uhmmm, investigating, right?"

"Yeah, that," said Jora, looking relieved.

"Oh, don't worry. Milly explained it to me too. Eating humans in front of humans working for you…just makes everyone unhappy," said Crisis. Jora's relief faded when Crisis added, "That's why I did some hunting _BEFORE_ Dr. Brennan was ready to head out."

The sound of Jora's hand smacking her face echoed in the field. Temperance could sense Booth shudder again. She didn't blame him. Kai was obviously another predator disgusted by humans being preyed upon. But once again, it was clear predators like Kai were in the minority.

And Temperance had promised Jora she would help these same predators.

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Milia Moonlieth strolled aimlessly along the Street of Red Flowers. As the name implied, it was a wide street in which plant life was abundant, all blossoming with flowers of an eye-catching crimson red. A portion of western Negav where certain laws were 'suspended', the Street of Red Flowers served as a place where forms of entertainment, gambling and certain food and drink frowned upon in the rest of the city could be indulged in freely.

Far from being a cesspool, however, the Street was typically a vibrant, lively and beautiful place, even without the trademark flowers taken into account. The architecture, the music…everything was elegant, orderly chaos, inviting anyone to join in and forget their troubles. The overhead sun gently blanketed all of Negav with its rays, further adding to the aura of abundant life.

Yet even here, the young hydromancer could not shake this feeling of impending doom.

Milia looked up again, at the tall buildings that still stood in this hostile world without apology. The Street of Red Flowers were a testament to how in Felarya, there was a place where the sentient 'prey' species could indulge themselves and forget their fear…at least for a time. And of course, the existence of Negav itself was a direct challenge to the very nature of Felarya. Here, those who would be preyed upon beyond its walls could thrive and prosper.

But now, that fragile sense of security was threatened not by the predators outside, but by treachery from within. The murders of all those high-ranking Vishmitals led to renewed tensions between them and the Ps'isol Magiocrats, and that put the whole city on edge. Even here, at high noon in the Streets of Red Flowers, Milia could tell things were subdued. Fear of the predators outside was now replaced with fear of getting caught in another civil struggle.

_Then again, I hardly come here, so I can hardly be the judge, _Milia reasoned. She walked aimlessly down the long street, admiring the flowers, but found herself unwilling to indulge in any festivities. Milia knew she must have stuck out, a grim-faced battlemage who couldn't cut loose. _I guess I'm too disciplined for my own good. Even here, I simply can't let myself go. Am I too paranoid? A workaholic? It would sure put my mind at ease if there was _SOMETHING_ I could do involving the investigations. But off-rotation or not, that's not the Isolon Fist's department._

A few teenage boys who had a bit too much to drink were suddenly walking beside her, doing their best to try enticing her without sounding like lecherous pigs. Milia smiled a little. Whatever they drank made them uninhibited enough to hit on an Isolon Fist Battlemage, but still have the presence of mind to _try_ being tactful. Even if the latter weren't the case, Milia wouldn't have even considered brushing them aside with magic. She was far too professional to throw her weight around like that. Those Vishmitals last week, however….

"Sorry boys, maybe next off-rotation," said Milia, hoping to let them down easy. As Milia's thoughts returned to that bar brawl – one of many ugly instances threatening to catalyze a full-scale civil war – she noticed something out the corner of her eye. The stout, dark-skinned woman she saved from those Vishmitals that day. The aide still sported a bandage on her temple. She looked around nervously, then ducked into a small gap between two buildings.

Milia thought little of it at first, still trying to politely convince these boys to look elsewhere for some action. But then, just before she would have passed that gap by, Milia caught a glimpse of something most disconcerting. Navy blue and pale blue cloth, and the lackluster glint of an armored breastplate….

"Vishmital," Milia whispered, her head snapping to the left. Indeed, it was there someone in full Vishmital dress. The soldier had on his bevor and helmet, concealing his face. But that's not what concerned Milia. Neither was why one of the stern, spartan Vishmitals would make his way into the Street of Red Flowers.

It was how the Vishmital ducked into that same gap.

_Oh great, those Vishmital thugs are still targeting that poor aide!_ Milia thought, fearing the worst. Finally pushing one inebriated boy so that he toppled the rest, Milia charged into the gap. It wasn't long before Milia spotted an alcove, and the hem of the aide's white robes were sticking out. The aide was speaking, but instead of terror, there was…firmness and vehemence?

"There's no putting it off any longer! Even if this anthropologist wasn't here, we have to speed things up. There's no telling how much longer her 'secret weapon' will be viable," said the woman.

"You worry too much. This anthropologist can't possibly unravel everything. She thinks this is all about a single fairy, and will only be looking at her rotting bones," came a male voice.

"One of those brought back with her could neutralize our weapon if they dig too deep!" the aide snapped. "No more coded radio transmissions. We've got to meet up with them tonight, see if there's been any change in plans. It'll be a risky business, us getting to the usual meeting place. Too bad they can't exactly march into the Street of Red Flowers…."

Intrigued, Milia ducked behind a pillar, then peeked around it. She got a better view into that alcove, and the Vishmital had just removed his helmet. Milia gasped. Even with that bevor on, Milia recognized him. It was one of those burly Vishmitals who backed up the one who tried to crack the aide's skull open!

"So like one hanging onto the Magiocrats' coattails, always obsessed with appearances," the Vishmital scoffed.

"Speaking of appearances, good work at that bar last week," said the aide. "No one will suspect we have ties after that."

"As you've pointed out, time grows short. Keeping up appearances will soon be a concern no longer," said the Vishmital dismissively.

"Very well. They're having a meeting at the usual place, at the northernmost tip of Nekomura. We'll both set out soon before sundown. By the time we're there, darkness will have fallen," said the aide.

Nekomura: the loose collection of neko villages to the northwest of Negav. The denizens of those villages didn't have much contact with the people of Negav. And despite her loyalty to the Ps'isol Magiocrats, Milia could empathize with the reason why.

So if this aide and this Vishmital were traipsing off together to go meet up with hostile nekos, that alone merited investigation.

That, and Milia's instincts were screaming for her to investigate. If this was connected to whatever had cast a pall over Negav, here, at last, was her chance to _DO_ something about it. Milia wasn't sure what this business about an 'anthropologist' fondling fairy bones was, and she didn't much care.

This talk of a 'secret weapon' however….

It was hardly enough to go to her superiors about. But perhaps, if she could dig up more….

Milia remained flattened against the pillar as she watched the Magiocrat aide walk back out into the Street of Red Flowers. The Vishmital followed a moment later. Neither had spotted her. Breathing a heavy sigh of relief, Milia ran back out soon afterwards, to make preparations for that evening.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Temperance guessed it was about two or three hours since their run-ins with Zycra and Kai. In that time, Temperance started to notice the change in the vegetation. What was once a typical, moderately-dense forest gave way to a marshy, humid one, with walls of trees all around them. It was a minor miracle Jora and Crisis could move through all of this. Sunlight could peer through unabated back in the Tolmeshal Forest, but here in the Bulvon Wood, a pale, emerald glow seemed to blanket everything, the upper canopies were so thick.

Bulvon Wood also housed a host of different fauna as well: a chorus of clicks, croaks, and other animal sounds seemed to come from everywhere. Even the air was noticeably different. Temperance could tell a multitude of pollen grains and spores swirled around them. She wondered if it was wise to tell Hodgins there was a forest with even greater biodiversity in Felarya.

As if reading her thoughts, Exona fluttered up to Jora's shoulder. "Dr. Brenna, if you're worried about seeing Crisis do what she does best…don't be. I think I see a suitable lunch up ahead…for everyone."

Looking ahead, Temperance saw a peculiar tree directly in Crisis's path. Like most trees in Felarya, this one was huge from a human's perspective. It would easily dwarf most skyscrapers. But what made this tree stand out were the fruits it bore. What looked like fleshy, purple peaches could be seen all over its branches. "A Citroise tree, common in wetter parts of Felarya, and perfect for a quick meal," Exona went on. From this distance, Temperance couldn't be sure, but some looked big enough for even Crisis to eat like an apple.

This obviously crossed Crisis's mind. The naga made a beeline for the Citroise tree and plucked some huge fruit from a low-lying branch. "Here, Jora, catch!" said Crisis as she tossed the giantess a ctiroise. Exona, meanwhile, flew over and plucked some smaller ones for Temperance and Booth.

Temperance stared at the strange fruit for a moment. Concerns about allergies, toxic alkaloids and especially foodborne pathogens ran through her mind. An enhanced immune system would not make fending off gastroenteritis much easier, and then there was her baby to worry about. Yet Jora and Crisis greedily devoured theirs without a second thought, and after some hesitation on his part, Booth soon dug in.

"Oh-ho _DAMN_, these things are sweet and juicy!" Booth exclaimed. "Bones, you have _GOT_ to try this stuff!" Still cautious, Temperance sniffed at the citroise. The smell alone was intoxicating, like nectar.

Finally feeling brave enough, she took a small bite. Booth wasn't exaggerating. On all her travels, she had never tasted exotic fruit as refreshing and delicious as _this_! Temperance was so mesmerized by the taste, she failed to notice Jora reaching for more citroises, and nearly tumbled off the giantess's shoulder.

"For all this world's dangers, there's obviously many pleasant surprises as well," Temperance said in between bites. "I just hope there's enough caloric content in these to ensure proper neonatal development while we're stuck here."

Adequate food for them. It didn't seem to be something that their Felaryan 'clients' had planned for.

Exona hovered close to Jora's shoulder again. Curiously, she had taken no citroises for herself. "Hey Exona, no lunch break for you?" asked Booth.

"Nah, I'm good," said Exona. "Besides, when I do get hungry, I can just enlarge the first tasty thing I come across and go nuts. If it's not sapient, naturally."

Exona's abstaining from eating another sentient being. A trait shared by Noxcia, Kai and even their murder victim, but obviously not by most giant predators in Felarya.

Temperance finally decided to broach that touchy subject. "Exona, why do some Felaryan predators choose _not_ to eat humans?"

Exona's speed dipped a little, her back a little straighter. Was that a sign that a fairy found something uncomfortable? "Well, it depends. In Kai's case, her egg was found by the Roga Mayin clan, and they raised her. Predators raised by humans have a greater chance of resisting the urge to eat them, it seems. Fiona's the same way. She was also raised by humans and won't eat them unless she has good reason."

"What about you?" asked Booth. "No offense, but as much as you understand humans, you don't seem like you were raised by us."

For a moment, Temperance feared Booth may have offended Exona. However, the fairy merely smiled. "You're right. It was brought up in a small pack of fairies. I once did eat humans, up until a few decades ago. And even before then, I hardly ever bothered. I figured, 'If you can enlarge a nut or piece of fruit and pig out that way, why bother snuffing out the life of someone you can be friends with?'"

That took Temperance by surprise, though it really shouldn't have. This fairy seemed to employ logic more like her own than those of her fellow fairies. "That's…a reasonable assessment. How many other fairies think like you do?"

"Obviously, Shandra did," said Exona, suddenly grave. "She swore off human flesh long before I did. I think Xanthe did, too. Aya is another one. In fact, she's _NEVER_ eaten a human. And Temi hardly touches your kind as well. If she's out to catch a human, it's only to feed one of her patients."

Temperance reflected on this. As she suspected, predators that abstained from humans were few and far between. Once again, it sunk in how dependent they were on these 'friendly' predators for survival.

"Exona, what made _you_ swear off humans for good?" Booth asked bluntly.

If that was just Booth's need to size up new partners, Temperance felt he went about it the wrong way. These fairies had a completely alien and confusing psychology, and a fairy that adopted some human mannerisms was still a fairy. Was this a touchy subject, or would Exona show her typical alacrity?

Exona chuckled a little. "That's…a bit of a long story. Maybe I can tell it when we're back with Dr. Sweets, so he can compare my story to what he's gleaned of fairy psychology," she said dismissively. "For now, why don't we try to find more exotic plants that you four can all enjoy?"

"Like this one? This looks like a telltale tree, but the bark, the height, even the trademark fruit itself…everything's off," said Jora. From Jora's shoulder movements, Temperance knew she was pointing at something. Following the length of Jora's arm, she spotted another tree, this one much shorter than the citroise tree from earlier, rising to only twice Jora's height. It also bore a distinctive fruit: a huge, green, grapefruit-like globe that…pulsated like a beating heart!

"Say, Jora, you're right! The fruit's the wrong color, and the dark color of the rest of the tree…it looks more like a floodwood tree!" cried Crisis.

Booth looked quizzically at them. "Telltale trees and floodwood trees? Care to fill us in?"

"Floodwood trees are weird plants that survive solely on water. Don't ask me how that's biologically possible, they just do it," said Jora. "They're usually seen on the shores of beaches and marshes. We're pretty far from the Jewel River, so it makes sense that any this deep in Bulvon Wood would be some sort of hybrid."

"Oh, I bet this thing has roots that extend for miles, sucking up brackish waters that branch off from the Chordoni River into Bulvon Wood," Exona added. "But the telltale fruit on this hybrid…I bet it's not only serving as a pump to draw in runoff water, but to filter it as well." Exona fluttered over to one branch, placing a hand on what looked like a long wooden chord. "My hypothesis was correct. These are efferent vessels from the fruit, and must be siphoning off filtered-out sediments and what have you. Such an ingenious set of evolutionary adaptations for a new species, wouldn't you agree Dr. Brennan?"

Temperance stared at the strange fruits again, their movements both hypnotic and disturbing. So like a beating human heart, and yet….

"Well, glad we found other fruit for lunch. I'm…not much into beating heart-fruit with river runoff and whatnot," said Booth dryly.

"Yeah, let's just keep moving," said Jora, and the two predators turned away from the tree.

"So…what other weird surprises are in store for us here in Bulvon Wood?" Booth demanded.

"In Felarya? One can never be sure. That telltale-floodwood hybrid was news to me," said Jora.

"So was finding out another naga tried to make it look like I ate that Deluran unit," Crisis added. "I wonder, who would want to do that? Oh well, at least you and Brennan trust me."

"It's not a matter of trust. I believe you didn't devour that Deluran unit because the evidence proves conclusively you are innocent…of that," said Temperance. "You're guilty of other instances of frenzied feeding far too often for most people to assume you're innocent without sufficient evidence, which was why Kai attacked."

Crisis looked back at her with a pouty, hurt expression. Temperance's implications had a profound impact on this girl. As if her hunting habits were truly nothing to be ashamed of, and she couldn't understand why she should think otherwise. The cognitive dissonance of some of these predators was frightening in itself.

The tension lingered between Crisis and Temperance for a moment, but it was broken by a sudden cry from Jora. "Ugh, stepped right in a slime trail." Temperance looked straight down. It took some effort for Jora to lift her foot, and Temperance could see long tendrils of some viscous glop stuck to it.

"Really? Is there any humans caught that we can…_OOPS_. Sorry, forgot, none of that while we're on the job!" Crisis cried, swiftly correcting herself.

Exona fluttered past Jora and Crisis. "Hang on you two. That slime trail looks pretty fresh, and we're a long way from Velvet's hideaway in the Bach."

"What was this Bach again?" asked Booth.

Crisis pointed somewhere westward. Turning to look, Temperance saw there was a gap in the overhead canopy. Through it, they could see a massive rock outcrop, jutting into the sky like a massive spire. They were still a few miles away, easily, but it still stood out from a distance like the Washington Monument.

"Velvet's fast for a slug girl, but this is still quite a distance. And if this trail is fresh, she's obviously still around," Jora pointed out.

"I know you don't like leaps of logic, Dr. Brennan, but I think we should assume Velvet _KNOWS_ we're coming if other fairies are mixed up in this," said Exona. Her voice came from right behind Temperance and Booth. Without warning, she tackled them from behind, knocking them off Jora's shoulder. In flash, Exona enlarged herself, and they found themselves deposited into her coat pocket, just hanging onto the top.

"Damnit Exona, what's the big idea!?" Booth demanded.

"Just taking necessary precautions. Your old job involved unseen enemies in hostile territory, right? You understand," said Exona. Temperance looked around from her new vantage point. Jora glanced around warily, and even Crisis seemed to lose a bit of her happy-go-lucky attitude. "Here, in case the worst happens, you should have this, Dr. Brennan." Exona brought her hand over to her pocket; her Vishmitali was held between her fingers, still at its original size. Temperance took it after a moment's hesitation, then stowed it in her belt. "So, Crisis, can you smell anything?"

"Just Velvet's slime trail. I think that's because she's made a whole bunch of them, looping all around," said Crisis. Temperance wasn't sure, but she suspected there was an elevated pitch to Crisis's voice now, betraying a hint of worry.

"Maybe to disguise her scent until it's too late," Jora suggested.

"Are you serious? One slug girl against the three of you?" scoffed Booth. "You three should be able to run, slither and fly circles around this Velvet, and…."

Booth stopped when something landed in the middle of the three predators with a thud. He and Temperance looked down and froze.

It was an enlarged flash-bang grenade. And the pin was pulled.

No doubt Exona recognized what it was too. She immediately pulled them from her pocket and lightly tossed them at a nearby tree. Of course, 'lightly toss' from Exona's current perspective meant soaring at nearly ten miles per hour for them. They collided with a low hanging branch painfully, and barely hung on. Thankfully, it was far enough away so that the grenade's noise did not render them unconscious, and they were facing away from the explosion of light.

Booth helped Temperance up as she looked back, her ears still ringing. The light had faded, and the three predators were lying on the forest floor, out cold. "Oh boy, that's...that's not good. Not good. Now what do we…." Booth began, but something made him freeze up. Before Temperance could turn to see what it was, Booth shoved her away. Then there was some odd noise, like someone spitting, followed by a mass of liquid striking their branch. Temperance picked herself up and turned back to Booth.

Temperance felt the color drain from her face again. Booth's entire right leg was coated in some clear, viscous substance not unlike that slime trail.

A soft, menacing chuckle made Temperance look up from Booth and back out into the woods. "So, that glitterbug Imkza was right. That little scrap of metal she enlarged for me knocked that silly-ass naga and her tagalongs out cold!" came a voice, one dripping with malice and pent-up rage. Despite the emerald glow blanketing the woods, some areas were still draped in shadow.

From out of the darkness, a couple football fields' length away, a huge face emerged. Shoulder-length brown hair, out from which protruded two huge slug eye stalks, which were constantly twitching and swerving around. Despite that weirdness, what drew Temperance's eye were her eyes. Resplendent, golden eyes, not unlike Anna's. But while some hint of kindness could be seen in the depths of Anna's eyes, this predator betrayed nothing but malevolence.

"So, you're the humans that that fairy and her friends keep talking about. Said you two wanted to ask little ol' Velvet a few questions," she said. Velvet had completely stepped out of the shadow. As expected, this predator wore no clothes, leaving her 'human' half completely naked, showing off her tanned, built frame. Her lower half was, indeed, that of a giant slug: bright yellow peppered with dark brown spots, and everything seemed to glisten. She effortlessly edged closer, gliding along the forest floor with speed and grace Temperance wouldn't expect from a giant slug. No doubt Hodgins would love to learn about the fluid mechanics of this creature.

_There I go, trying to rationalize how these monsters could possibly exist when they're right in front of me, and liable to eat me,_ Temperance thought. She just stood on the branch, not sure what to do. All she had was Exona's Vishmitali, something only effective at close range.

But Velvet was drawing closer. She was nearly at the base of the tree.

"And suppose I'm not in the mood to play twenty questions, eh? What're you gonna do then?" demanded Velvet. "There's already a potential payoff for what I've done for Imkza already. At the very least, by lending them more assistance, I'll get two yummy…._**ACK!**_"

Velvet screamed at the same time Temperance heard a gunshot. The slug girl's hands flew to her face to cover her eye as she kept screaming. Temperance looked back to see Booth aiming his gun. Turning to Temperance, he said, "Here, take my weapon and magazines and GO! Don't argue with me Bones, just _**RUN!**_"

Booth tossed his gun to her, then all his spare ammo clips. Temperance caught them and stuck the pistol in her pocket. She saw Booth's logic about fleeing while Velvet was distracted, but she hated herself for it. Besides, where was there to run? They were still dozens of feet up in a huge tree! Glancing around, Temperance saw that the end of their branch passed over a branch on a neighboring tree: another telltale-floodwood hybrid. One with several pulsating fruit.

Temperance looked to Velvet again, then back to the hybrid tree. At once, a plan formed in her mind. It all depended, however, if Velvet would play along.

"Booth, I'll be back for you," Temperance promised as she bolted down the branch.

By then, Velvet had stopped grunting and swearing. "Ooooooh, you're a feisty one. My favorite kind of meal. But I'll save you for later, little guy. It's that anthropologist I'm supposed to be after!" Temperance heard Velvet sniff the air. "Oh, and an anthropologist expecting a baby, too! That little twit Katrika may not eat pregnant humans, but me? I'm not so merciful!"

Temperance jumped over to the hybrid tree's branch. She heard the sloshing of slug slime almost directly below. Velvet was already closing in.

When she was only a few yards away from the trunk, Temperance knelt down to feel one of the huge, wooden cords. Judging from the flow she felt, it was indeed an efferent vessel, pumping water away from those strange fruits. Temperance then pressed down. It felt spongy, but also sturdy. That suited her purposes just fine.

By then, Velvet was almost upon her. The branch was nearly level with Velvet's navel. Smirking, Velvet reached down for her. At the last possible second, Temperance pulled out the Vishmitali. Remembering how Exona extended it, she flipped it out and drove the point up into Velvet's palm.

The slug girl shrieked as she pulled her hand back. She eyed Temperance with a venomous glare, and Temperance notice her eye was still twitching. Clearly, it was a vulnerable spot, but she wasn't as good a shot as Booth….

But for the moment, Velvet was still angry. _VERY_ angry. And that's what Temperance was counting on.

"Oh, forget eating you while you've got all those weapons! I'll just give this tree a nice new paintjob!" Velvet roared, rearing one arm back. A fist the size of a Volkswagen beetle came bearing down on Temperance, who dove out of the way just in time. Thankfully, the branch was so thick and so huge, it stayed intact and didn't vibrate too much. More evidence that this world was too big for humans….

Velvet brought up her fist, muttering to herself. Temperance spared a glance at the spot her fist smashed into. The wooden cord housing a vessel for water…it was smashed in, plugged up.

Temperance looked around for a separate chord, and found one directly behind her. She stood over it, and could feel its flow through her shoes. Another efferent vessel. Velvet lashed out again, bringing down her hand for a karate chop. Temperance dove aside again, letting Velvet's hand smash down onto the chord. When Velvet lifted it, the vessel did not spring back to its original shape.

A few feet below the back of the branch, there were bark mushrooms, ones big enough to serve as platforms for her. Temperance put her Vishmitali away and drew Booth's gun. Velvet was about to bring her fist down again, just as Temperance made her leap. Now to reach her, Velvet had to duck under the branch to reach the bark mushrooms. Temperance frantically moved from mushroom to mushroom; some she could jump to, some she had to climb to.

At last, Temperance found a bark mushroom growing in front of another vessel. By the time she looked away from the tree, Velvet was there, bending down with her fist reared back. Temperance flattened herself just in time, letting Velvet's fist sail over her. Assuming that Velvet hit the cord, Temperance brought up Booth's gun and squeezed off a few rounds. Her third shot made Velvet rear back, hitting her other eye.

"I suppose I hit the cornea, didn't I!? Am I correct in assuming that _REALLY_ stings!?" Temperance got out in between Velvet's spluttering of curses. Roaring with unrestrained fury, Velvet reached out for the bark mushroom Temperance had been standing on; luckily, she had just leaped to a higher mushroom, and was pulling herself up. Velvet ripped the mushroom clean off the tree, then with another shriek, her hand lashed out for the one Temperance was running along. Temperance leaped to another one just as it was ripped off as well, then jumped for another branch.

Temperance grasped onto another wooden cord carrying water away from the telltale fruits, feigning exhaustion. Velvet took the bait. This branch was level with Velvet's breasts, and out the corner of her eye, Temperance saw the slug girl's outstretched hand come down fast, aiming to swat her. Smirking, Temperance deftly sprang up onto the branch, letting Velvet's hand press the cord inward.

"I love a good chase as much as the next predator, but time to make this a little more interesting for you as well," spat Velvet. Then she _literally_ began spitting. Globs of her sticky spit shot out at the branch. For a moment, Temperance assumed Velvet's blurry vision made it hard to get a fix on her. Looking down the branch's length, however, made Temperance realize Velvet was purposely making an obstacle course. One careless step, and she was trapped.

Faking exhaustion again, Temperance lingered along another cord, and once again, Velvet brought her fist down just as she dodged in time. Temperance fired more shots, and fortunately, the clip's last bullet struck Velvet in the eye. Velvet reared back once more, screaming in agony, while Temperance carefully zigzagged through the huge globs of Velvet's spit, taking the time to reload.

Running to the edge of the branch…she was trapping herself, and there was no branch below to jump to. "Hopefully, Velvet's already done enough work for me," Temperance muttered to herself.

Velvet was still covering her eyes with one hand, but the other…the slug girl positioned it at the edge of the branch. It sped toward Temperance as Velvet made a sweeping motion. Panic almost took hold, but then Temperance pocketed Booth's gun, then brought out the Vishmitali. As Velvet's hand closed in, Temperance used the Vishmitali to pole vault over it. When she landed, it was on another huge, wooden cord. Temperance could feel that water still flowed through it.

"Since your vision isn't the greatest at the moment, will audio cues help!?" Temperance taunted. Velvet's response was to try swatting Temperance yet again.

This time, Velvet was too quick. Temperance had no choice but to leap backwards to avoid getting flattened. As she fell, Temperance grabbed onto the stem of a huge leaf. Miraculously, it supported her weight. But there was no time to pull herself up before Velvet was bending down again, leering evilly at Temperance.

"Well well well, looks like you dropped that stick. Looks like I got no reason to be afraid of gobbling you up now," Velvet jeered, licking her lips. Temperance forced herself to remain calm. "Oh but that right, you still have your boyfriend's gun. Think it'll do you any good now?" Velvet squinted at Temperance, no doubt to make her eyes a harder target, as if daring her to try and shoot.

Temperance took one hand off the stem, drew her gun, and aimed. But not at Velvet's eyes.

Instead, Temperance fired a few shots at a pulsating telltale fruit to her right. The fruit now beat furiously, far faster than a few minutes ago, and looked ready to explode.

A few shots severed it from the branch. When it landed below, it burst open, spewing its water everywhere. A good amount splashed onto Velvet's slug half. And the slug girl screamed more loudly than ever.

"What the…_WHAT'VE YOU DONE_?!" Velvet demanded, her voice shaking with terror. "That water…it's _SALT WATER_!"

"As I hypothesized, because you blocked all those efferent vessels, more and more brackish water and river sediments were trapped in the telltale fruits," said Temperance calmly. She fired at a telltale fruit to her left, and it too splashed Velvet with salty water when it landed and burst open. Afterward, Temperance pulled herself back up onto the branch. "If nothing else, this will certainly act as a deterrent. No meal is worth risking potentially fatal dehydration."

Her slug half was already losing its sheen. Velvet nervously glided backwards, her face now contorted in pure terror. But her slug half was now directly under the last branch Temperance had been on…and its telltale fruit. Temperance had to empty the rest of her clip, but she managed to make that fruit fall, too. Salty water spread out over Velvet's slug body, and she even shriveled a little.

Gagging and sputtering, Velvet fell forward, barely able to keep her upper half propped up. For a few minutes, Velvet stayed there, in too much agony to move, let alone speak. Temperance slid in the last ammo clip, now realizing Velvet's ruckus would probably draw other predators. Her gaze swept the marshy forest all around her, but Temperance couldn't see any other threats approaching.

A grunt from Velvet made Temperance look back down. Velvet was still slumped over, but looking up at her, grinning wickedly. "I can't get to you thanks to the salt water around that branch…for the moment. Even with this saturated soil, it won't stay there forever. As for the water you dumped on my back…I took it, and survived! So there's nothing to stop me from snacking on your boyfriend! So do forgive me as I double back and…."

"Do nothing," came a familiar voice in a flat tone. Before Velvet could even blink, Exona dropped down behind her. She stood over Velvet's slug half, feet at either side, and pinned the slug girl's arms behind her back. "Velvet, we're bringing Agent Booth back over here. If you do not answer his questions to his satisfaction, I will break your arms."

From the look in her eyes, it was clear Velvet knew Exona wasn't bluffing. Temperance sighed with relief. At least they had one friendly predator awake again….

Without any warning, one of the other two plucked Temperance off the branch. She was quickly spun around, and Crisis's crying face filled her vision. "Oh Dr. Brennan, I'm so sorry! How could we let that mean slug girl sucker us like that!?" Before Temperance could reply, she was smothered against Crisis's huge manubrium, held fast when Crisis placed both her hands over her as she continued to cry.

Amazingly, Temperance could hear Booth's screams of protest from the next tree over over Crisis's crying. "Oh _GOD_! Jeez Jora, as least leave my leg on! _OWWWW_!"

Temperance craned her neck to see Jora walking over, holding Booth in her hands. She looked even more irascible than Velvet did at that moment. Jora turned and stood in front of Velvet, and Temperance heard Booth say, "First thing's first Velvet. Who told you to eat me and Bones?!"

"Obviously a fairy, if I was given an enlarged human weapon!" snapped Velvet, still struggling in Exona's vise-like hold.

"What's her name? What does she look like?" demanded Booth.

"Imkza. She's got short, black hair, that's all I could ever make out. She never enlarged to giant size around me."

"Just perfect," Booth grumbled. "Anyway, care to tell us just why you're pals with this Imkza? What does she want?"

For a moment, Velvet said nothing, merely glaring at the person who was supposed to be her snack. Then Exona tightened her hold, eliciting a howl from the slug girl. "ALRIGHT ALRIGHT! Initially, all she and her buddies wanted was…my slug slime. Freshly squeezed."

No one said anything for a moment. "That's…ridiculous. If someone wanted slug slime, why specifically come to _you_!? There are slug girls all over Felarya infinitely more sociable than you," said Jora angrily.

"Mine was special, this fairy said, with me being a leopard slug girl and all," Velvet replied. "Said it was just the right…oh, what's the word…."

"Viscosity?" Temperance offered. The word came out like a croak, with her still held snugly by Crisis.

Velvet looked up. From what Temperance could see, the slug girl's expression was one of pure hatred. Still, she knew it was best to keep talking. "Yeah, I think that was it. Her fairy buddies needed it for something. I think once, I overheard the word 'weapon'. Don't ask me what it does…I DON'T KNOW!"

"And, pray tell, what did you get in return?" demanded Jora.

"Imkza promised to make sure Katrika suffered," was all Velvet said.

"Who's Katrika?" asked Booth.

"Another naga. You haven't met her yet, but she typically comes around the Giant Tree," said Crisis.

"And one time, the belly-dragger came around here, and _ATE_ all my baby slug girls!" spat Velvet. "I swore one day, Katrika would pay for that. Imkza said she could make it happen, so I figured, 'Hey, give up a little slug slime and Katrika gets hers? Why not?'"

Crisis's hold had loosened enough to let Temperance turn around. Now she could see sorrow and hurt mingled with Velvet's rage. The ecological dynamics of this world…it was far more complicated than these giant half-human predators simply preying on her kind. Even their young were not exempt from this jungle's laws. "Living with all that pent-up anger is probably not healthy for you, Velvet, especially since mollusks have an open circulatory system," Temperance suggested. "Frequent fluctuations in blood pressure could be detrimental. A psychologist was brought back with us, so maybe…."

For a moment, Temperance was once again the focus for all of Velvet's rage. But she winced again as Exona put pressure on her arms. "One last thing, Velvet. We need to know about a certain other fairy," said Booth. Exona relaxed her hold on Velvet to fish something out of her coat pocket. She unfolded a piece of paper and thrust it in front of Velvet's face...a copy of Angela's sketch. "That fairy, her name is Shandra. Her body was found in the tree far west of here, back in Tolmeshal Forest. Have you ever seen this fairy before? Was she with this Imkza at all?"

Temperance couldn't see Velvet's face anymore, but it wasn't a stretch to assume she was still enraged at them all. A moment later, she said, "There might've been a fairy with long blue hair in the pack Imkza brought with her. I really don't remember."

Temperance expected Booth to ask more questions, but to her surprise, Booth said, "Exona, let Velvet go."

Jora echoed her disbelief. "Booth, are you serious? She lobbed a grenade at us, and aimed to make you and Dr. Brennan her lunch!"

"And somehow, I don't see her marching over to the Giant Tree to try all that again," said Booth. "Right now, we got, for lack of a better word, _BIGGER_ things to worry about. Like how one of Shandra's old fairy accomplices knew about what Bones was brought here to do, and had a, ummm, hit_slug_ lying in wait."

Exona sighed, then released Velvet's arms. The slug girl rubbed her sore arms as she eyed them all nervously. "Better get going, Velvet. As Dr. Brennan just showed you, you can get dehydrated fast if you're not careful. Too bad they don't make Fremen stillsuits for slug girls, eh?"

"I don't know what that means." Velvet and Temperance said that in unison, causing them to look awkwardly at each other.

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Felarya character credits:

Crisis, Anna Demorah, Temi, Léa, Lily, Belletia, Melany, Subeta, Aya and Frerik Mezzus belong to Karbo

Milly, Isham, Elia, Calina, Lucilya, Jissy, Roshan, Ajab and Pal Sebrit belong to FrenchSnack

Jora Fenderen, Jade and Tanny belong to Ravana3K

Remus vir Patstriker and Xanthe belong to NickInAmerica

Katrika and Velvet belong to Zoekin3

Milia Moonlieth and Zycra Zordford belong to vaderaz

Seliky Serela belongs to kikijonson

Fiona belongs to rcs169

Noxcia belongs to turboman500

Kai Roga Mayin belongs to JiroKatsu

Exona, General Garrardo and Shandra belong to yours truly, Grey-X


	7. Bartering for Bodies

Dynamic Equilibrium

a Bones/Felarya crossover

Chapter 7: Bartering for Bodies

5-31-2013

by Greyman

Disclaimer: Bones and all related characters are the property of 20th Century Fox. Felarya is the creation and property of Karbo, and all associated characters are the property of their respective creators.

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Booth watched Velvet retreat into the marshy woods. He had never seen a slug girl before, but it was clear from Velvet's body language that every little slither forward was an agonizing ordeal. And she had Bones to thank for that, not any of the predators who were supposed to protect her. Of course, Bones used up all of his ammo to do it, so if they got in a similar situation again…

"Are you sure it's a good idea to let her go, Booth?" asked Jora, who still held Booth in one hand. She held her head with the other, obviously still feeling the effects of that huge stun grenade. "Her ties to whoever Shandra got mixed up with may go deeper."

"I don't think so. I've been at this a long time, and I can tell when someone's gotten involved in something dirty for the stupidest reasons. Shandra's accomplices had plans for this Negav, and all Velvet wanted was some payback," said Booth. _But can anyone blame her? This Katrika kid wolfed down her family. That may be 'the way it is' here in Felarya, and these preds may shrug it off, but when it happens to you…_ He cast a glance over at Crisis. The naga was still holding Bones a little too close for his liking. _That's right, that slug girl just tried to flatten MY family to further her plans for revenge, so good for Bones for giving Velvet a salt water bath._

Crisis looked down at Bones. "Well, Dr. Brennan certainly taught Velvet a lesson! Maybe now she won't be such a meanie all the time," she said, echoing Booth's thoughts.

"Crisis is right. That was some amazing work, Dr. Brennan. Most humans completely freeze up when they encounter their first hostile predator, but that performance would put most of the Isolon Fist to shame," said Exona.

Bones said nothing as Crisis slithered over. Booth frowned. Just what was going through Bones's brilliant mind right now? Certainly not guilt. Velvet deserved whatever was coming to her.

Crisis deposited Bones on Jora's shoulder, just as the giantess returned Booth to that perch. "Bones, you're probably just in the thrall of an adrenaline rush. It'll pass."

"I'm well-versed in human physiology, Booth. I'm perfectly aware of what physiological processes my body is in the middle of," Bones replied.

Booth said nothing. No point in emphasizing how it's one thing to know about the physiological changes you go through in a pitched battle, and another to actually experience it. This was far more intense than that run-in with the harpies, what with no friendly predators to help until _AFTER_ Velvet was subdued. Then again, Booth doubted his time in the U.S. Army would have prepared him for slug girls and harpies. Booth privately wondered if he would have kept as cool a head as Bones. He certainly wouldn't have thought to goad Velvet into blocking those water vessels, thus letting salty runoff build up in those telltale fruits.

"The good news is, we're all walking away now that Velvet's hit was a bust," said Exona. "The bad news is…our lead with Velvet went nowhere. I know of Imkza, but she hasn't been seen by Temi's pack in years. There's no telling where she is now, or what she's doing."

This problem was more of Booth's speed. "So until all your fairy friends get back with dirt and bug parts for Hodgins, maybe we shouldn't be running around in jungles hoping to find clues."

Crisis looked at him strangely. "So…where should we go, now?"

"Someplace where I can't believe no one thought to look already: Negav." Crisis immediately recoiled, and Exona let out a snort, staring at Crisis. So there _was_ something the most feared predator in Felarya feared herself…and it was actually other humans. "It's quite simple. Before Shandra was found, the body count in Negav was racking up. There's humans working with these renegade fairies, which suggests their collective goal may involve other humans. And what's the biggest settlement with humans in Felarya? From what I understand, Negav. Until Hodgins or Cam find something else, and until Bones can look over Shandra's bones, Negav should be our target. The killer's been there, there's thirteen other bodies there…the answers are _there_."

The three predators looked to one another. Exona seemed perfectly fine with the idea, but Jora and Crisis…not so much. Exona broke the silence. "If nothing else, we really should try to get Negav's authorities to cough up those bodies. There's a lot of, oh what's the Earth expression…_red tape_ to cut through in Negav's bureaucracies. But perhaps, if we could get in touch with the Ps'isol Magiocrat Council's current leader..."

"And who might that be? Do you know her?" asked Booth.

"Only by reputation. A young woman by the name of Alastazia Lesona. Very smart and ambitious, keeps her real agenda close to her chest," said Exona.

"Just how do you intend to get Brennan and Booth past all of Negav's security, then barge in on Lesona uninvited?" asked Jora.

"We'll worry about that when we get there," said Exona impatiently, through gritted teeth.

"Well, if we _ARE_ heading for Negav, we'd better move now," said Crisis. "Negav is pretty far south from where we are now."

"There should still be daylight by the time we reach Negav," said Jora. "I just hope we can find something else to eat on the way. I'm still hungry."

"Me too, me too," Crisis chimed in. "I could _REALLY_ go for some humans right now, but oh well. No snacking on our co-workers' species while on the job, right?"

Booth sensed Bones stiffen, and he knew it had nothing to do with Jora turning around to head south. It was galling enough to hear Crisis talk so blithely about eating their own kind. And now Bones once again witnessed what it meant to be a target of one of these monsters. He could only guess how her hyper-rational mind was processing everything…

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Melany stared at Hodgins dubiously as he gestured toward a chair set out on a wide-open branch. "Just have a seat. This'll all be over in about five minutes," said the short human.

The word had gone out among the returning fairies that some of them were needed again, this time for an 'experiment'. Melany had asked Angela what her husband's experiments involved. She only smiled evilly and said they got 'rather messy'. That was more unsettling: a human taking joy in being more mischievous and coy than your average fairy. Were they still weirded out by her eating those trapped humans in front of them? It's not as if she intended to eat _THEM_ next, and they didn't know those humans anyway. Humans…whether they were your dinner or not, they could be sofussy….

Sighing, Melany sat down. At once, Sweets and Seliky stood at either side of her, sticking these weird suction cup thingies to her face. No, not her face specifically, but all around her head, even sticking them underneath her hair. "These had better come off easy," Melany grumbled.

"Just relax," said Sweets. At least Melany detected no hint of malice in the psychologist's voice. Then again, with humans, one could never tell. Or at least, that's what Lily always tried to drill into their skulls. "In order to make sure our equipment's working properly, you need to remain as calm as possible for the initial readings."

Melany hadn't noticed the other stuff out of the branch with them. More of those weird machines. Anna would no doubt know what all this stuff did. For once, Melany wished she paid more attention to her technological gobbledygook. One thing in particular drew Melany's eye: a computer screen. It looked like it was showing the inside of her head. Her brain…everything was a mass of vibrant, blazing colors.

"OK, everything seems to be working. Reading plenty of brain activity, nothing that differs much from the last few fairies we tested," said Seliky.

"And, pray tell, just _how_ many fairies are you putting through these experiments?" Melany finally dared to ask.

"Enough to ensure we have sufficient data to compare with Shandra's brain, once Mezzus does his hocus-pocus, and we find out which lobes lit up," said Hodgins matter-of-factly.

'Hocus-pocus'…Hodgins clearly didn't put much trust in magic. Like Anna, he preferred to rely on his machines. _Will they point us in the right direction? They better, especially after sending us all over Felarya. It'll take at least three or four days before all the fairies come back, and me…I could be back to building my own creations. But no…I'm part of some human 'experiment'…._

As Melany sat there sulking, Sweets wheeled something in front of her. A cart with another one of those screens. "Now Melany, the purpose of this procedure is to determine which parts of fairies' brains are active when exposed to a variety of stimuli," Sweets explained. Sweets…Melany still couldn't get over how ironic that was. A human brought to a world where his kind was preyed upon, and he was actually _CALLED _Sweets. Despite herself, Melany's mouth watered a little. He certainly smelled tasty. Luckily, for all his skill in psychology, Sweets seemed oblivious. "So far, your brains seem analogous to human brains, but we need as much concrete data as possible."

"We'll be showing you a series of images. You won't need to do a thing. Our diagnostic equipment will simply record which parts of your brain show the most activity," Seliky added.

**THIS **_was the 'rather messy' experiment I was so worried about?!_ Melany thought incredulously. She said nothing, and merely shrugged her shoulders.

"Then if you're comfortable with this, we'll proceed," said Sweets. Melany heard him push a few buttons on one of those keyboard things. Something flared to life on the screen. It was a still picture, showing off crashing waves on a beach. But the beach…there were humans all around the shore, wearing hardly any clothing. _Why even bother? Might as well go naked like us,_ was all that went through Melany's head. That, and how this picture was making her even hungrier.

The next picture…well, it wasn't really a picture. More like some moving image. That's what Crisis said some of this human technology made. Anna had explained it to Crisis, after the latter ate a 'television', thinking a human was inside. The image had no color, yet was so vibrant; three funny-looking humans kept knocking each other around with tools, producing weird sounds. Was this human humor? It certainly looked delightfully silly…

Sweets cycled through more stuff, some still pictures, some moving. Melany saw nothing from Felarya, so obviously this was all stuff from their world. A mountain with four stern faces carved right onto it. These funny little black and white birds hobbling around on ice floats. What humans would consider a huge snake, swallowing a deer whole (that reminded Melany she needed to file down her antlers later). A…smiling, yellow sponge wearing pants?

Some of the images were more…grotesque than oddly amusing. Pictures depicted how mean humans could really be. Using those guns, beating up helpless prisoners...Melany could only grimace. It was one of the reasons why Melany never felt particularly guilty about eating humans that fell into her traps. Those tended to be the greediest humans, out searching for treasure. The type liable to screw over their fellow humans.

_Do they want to see how my 'lobes light up' when I see how humans can be total jerks to each other?_ Melany wondered. She resisted the urge to glance at the other screen, focusing instead on some smarmy human screaming 'Say hello to my little friend!' before firing something through a door.

The next picture was something far more tranquil. A sunset over some mountain range. Melany felt herself relax. Those five minutes had to be up soon. Then she could get back to designing one of her own machines…a _TRUE_ work of art. Or back to needling Anna about how _her _machines tend to fail miserably. Or both.

"And now, for our last test," Hodgins suddenly said. Melany caught the devious undercurrent in his voice. Melany wondered what could be sinister about another picture. But then Seliky shoved the cart out of the way. On a distant high branch, Melany saw something move. An instant later, Melany saw Anna's face peer through the foliage, leering. Then Melany saw she was holding back some sort of pendulum, which she released a second later…

A huge log, its front end sharpened to a fine point, fell toward the four of them in a curved path. In a second, they would either be smashed or impaled.

Acting purely on instincts honed in the wilds of Felarya, Melany stood up, calling on her magic. No time to fly away. Amazingly, all those things stayed stuck to her head. She slashed her right arm when the log got close enough. When it finally reached them, it harmlessly lodged itself into the branch a few feet below them, now no bigger than her arm.

"Saved the best and most satisfying for last, hornhead!" jeered Anna, giving Melany the double flip-off.

Normally, Melany would be all too happy to engage in a verbal battle of wits with the arrogant ex-human, but right now, Melany paid her no mind. She was still staring down at the shrunken piece of wood, then back at Anna's smirking face. She was breathing heavily, confused and annoyed. "W-W-W-Wha…WHAT WAS THE POINT OF ALL THAT?!" demanded Melany.

"To see what parts of the brain are most active when a fairy uses magic to defend herself," said Seliky evenly, unfazed by Melany's vehemence.

"Don't feel bad, Melany. Almost a dozen other fairies had the same stunt pulled on them," said Hodgins with mock sincerity.

"And we've got good, consistent results," said Sweets. "Once Mezzus has Shandra's brain ready…."

"Oh, you humans and these noisy, ugly machines!" spat Melany, her patience having been swiftly exhausted. She pulled all those tingly, annoying things off her head, uttering more curses under her breath. "Lily's right. We can't _EVER_ let our guard down around you!"

Hodgins and Seliky still refused to be cowed by Melany's outburst, but Sweets now sounded apologetic. "Look, Melany, we regret having to deceive you like this. But it's important to know what parts of your brain see the most activity when you're defending yourself. If we know that, then the circumstances of Shandra's murder…."

But Melany wasn't listening. She dove off the branch and flew out of the Giant Tree. If these were any other humans, they'd be halfway down her esophagus by now. As it was, her fellow fairies needed them. So for now, Melany settled for being alone to blow off some steam. A _LOT_ of steam.

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Many awkward hours passed as the hopelessly mismatched team of predators escorted Booth and Bones back through Tolmeshal Forest. This time, they were going south, much farther south than the Giant Tree, or any spot in Felarya they'd seen thus far. Maybe Bones noticed a difference in the flora or fauna, but so far, this part of Tolmeshal Forest looked no different. It was all a confusing maze of trees that wouldn't look out of place among sequoias and redwoods, with a forest floor that would doubtless make that of the Amazon rain forests look barren by comparison.

Booth knew full well that getting lost out here without their predator escorts would be a death sentence, even if other giant half-human predators weren't part of the equation. If there were things out here that even _Crisis _was wary off, a displaced anthropologist and FBI agent had no chance.

Everything was becoming a garbled blur in Booth's mind, so when he looked westward and noticed the sun hovering just over the trees, it took him by surprise. A whole day's worth of daylight, just to loop through the Tolmeshal Forest, make a pit stop in Bulvon Wood, then head straight south for Negav. And the latter trip had taken them across two rivers and over a low mountain range. No wonder it would take those fairies several days to get Hodgins all those samples.

An unwelcome sound suddenly jarred Booth: Jora's grumbling stomach. Pigging out on those citroises only did so much. _Why does that make me nervous?_ Booth wondered._ Jora was once human, so there's no way she'd see her own kind as food, right?_

Crisis heard Jora's stomach, too. The naga had taken point, if that was how you could describe being led on by someone so carefree and sprightly, but she looked back at Jora and grinned. "Sounds like it's time for our dinner break," Crisis said with a wink.

"Crisis, come on, you know you can't. Especially not here, where Isolon Fist dispatches could be right around the corner…"

"Oh, stop worrying! I said I wouldn't hunt any humans with Brennan around and I meant it," Crisis replied. At first, Booth thought Crisis sounded a little annoyed at being reminded of her agreement, but no. Crisis was too perpetually cheerful to be bothered by that. Crisis then audibly sniffed the air. "But no one said anything about hunting other stuff."

Exona had remained at giant size, and brought up the rear. "What could be in these parts that could serve as substitutes for humans? Iampi?" Exona spoke softly, so as to not scare off what would potentially become Jora and Crisis's dinner.

Crisis smiled again. "Iampi, and, if my nose is not mistaken, some bugle lizards. I guess they feel safe to converge so openly, being in Isolon Fist territory and all. How lucky for us."

Booth had no clue what those things were, but he had a nasty feeling that would change. Crisis slithered back over to Jora ever so stealthily, and whispered something into her ear. Her chin loomed right over Booth and Bones. Crisis vowed she would never eat them, but still, that mouth of hers being in such close proximity….

The next thing Booth knew, he and Bones were being plucked off Jora's shoulder and handed to Exona. "Exona, please, take care of your partners for a few minutes. Crisis needs me to help catch dinner."

They fell into Exona's open palms. Looking up, Booth saw Exona's quizzical expression. "Uh…you sure you're up to this? I could probably…"

"No, that's…that's OK," said Jora quickly. "I still need to learn a few things about fending for myself and Tanny. And if _CRISIS_ can't teach me, well…"

The naga and the giantess disappeared behind some trees, leaving Exona, Booth and Bones alone. Just being lifted around and dumped in someone's hands like pet mice…it rankled, to say the least. The sooner they found Shandra's killer and got back to solving human murders back home, the better. _Then again, there are _THIRTEEN_ human murders in this case…_

"What did Jora mean?" asked Bones. "She's been in Felarya for years. Has she yet to fully adapt to life here?"

"Well, Jora's never exactly been fleet of foot," Exona said with a smirk. "From what I hear, that actually worked to your advantage back home. But here in Felarya, where one slip-up can lead to having to skip a meal…"

Booth could empathize with that. He had received survival training in the Army Rangers, but even so, Booth doubted he'd fare any better in Jora's situation. _At least she never resorted to eating her own kind. I mean, she couldn't, there's no way…_

Moments later, Jora and Crisis reemerged. Crisis's cheeks were bulging, no doubt full of some struggling, hapless animals. Booth had to take Crisis at her word that they were not humans. Jora, likewise, had several creatures trapped in clenched fists. She fumbled with her fingers so that one was between her index finger and thumb: some sort of green monkey with beefy, powerful-looking legs. Jora popped the poor bugger into her mouth, seemed to savor the taste for a moment, then swallowed. Then she popped in something else, some lizards with a slender body resembling a horn. They let out low wails as they disappeared behind Jora's lips.

It was like a train wreck, seeing these two women satiate themselves by eating so many animals at once, like an even more twisted take on Gulliver's Travels. Yet he couldn't look away. _As long as it's nothing sentient they're scarfing,_ Booth reminded himself. He still couldn't keep from voicing his uneasiness. "Just how many of those poor critters will it take to make them feel full?"

"The larger an animal gets, the amount of food and oxygen consumed per unit of body mass gets smaller, due to their greater ability to retain thermal energy," Bones explained. "If Crisis and Jora had our metabolism, they would swiftly die of heat stroke. Thus, from our perspective, they actually would consume _less _food than we would probably expect."

For once, Bones's sciency explanation made perfect sense. And that meant Crisis probably ate far less people on a typical day than he first thought, even when considering her reputation for voraciousness. Still, the thought of so many people going down her gullet each day…

Exona seemed anxious to ask something, but waited until Jora and Crisis were done stuffing themselves. "Just how did you catch all those iampi when they can easily jump away?"

"Easy. Get them on the ground or close enough to it, and they freeze up for a few seconds, which is all we needed," said Crisis, smiling, right before she downed her last iampi. "Smash the branches or knock them off, and they're easy game."

"Of course, getting close enough without the bugle lizards sounding the alarm is a chore," said Jora. "At least I learned _SOMETHING_ from Teliya, and…oh crap. Some of them are bouncing around in there." Jora clutched her stomach, her face scrunched up.

"OK…ignoring that," said Booth quickly. "How much farther to Negav?"

"Not long now. We had our dinner, so let's get moving," said Crisis.

Crisis led the charge again, and it was perhaps another half an hour before she signaled for Jora and Exona to stop. "This is it. This as close as I can get. It's a wonder I can even _SEE_ it before, well…"

The naga pointed to something across the horizon. Straining his eyes to see, Booth could make out what looked like a walled-off city far, far off in the distance. And it was only visible because they were at a sufficiently higher elevation, otherwise trees would easily block the view. "So…any special reason you can't get any closer, Crisis?"

"Take another look. Can you see a small speck of bright light from here?"

Booth squinted again. Atop that far-off city, there was a faint glimmer, an oddly-glowing speck. "Yeah, I see something. What's it supposed to be?"

"The Isolon Eye. A huge, enchanted crystal that sets up a sort of dead zone. Any giant predator with a taste for humans and nekos is repelled. The more voracious a predator is, the greater the effect," explained Jora. "If Crisis gets closer, she'll start feeling queasy. Up against the walls, her head'll be splitting. Right next to the Eye…well, no predator's ever gotten that close, but Teliya made it sound like that's a death sentence."

"Factor in the cannons that guard the city from every parapet along those walls, plus the Isolon Fist patrols, and you've got an impregnable fortress most predators wouldn't even _THINK _about attacking," added Exona sternly.

Booth took a moment to digest all this. No wonder Crisis wasn't thrilled about coming here. Then he looked up to Jora. "But…you can get us closer, right? I mean, you don't…"

"Weren't you listening!? Negav's guarded by cannons and Isolon Fist on all sides, and they shoot first and ask questions later," Jora said quickly. The vehemence of her retort made Booth uneasy. She snapped back at him far too quickly…

"Then how are we supposed to enter Negav?" asked Bones. "Even if no predators can enter the area, you've made it clear that there are a host of other dangers in Felarya. Not to mention these Isolon Fist patrols may be suspicious of Booth and I."

"I think I have a solution," said Exona brightly. "Xanthe used to come and go as she pleased, back when she was a fully-powered Crimson Maiden. So if _she _could get in…."

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Up in Negav's Higher Tier, the innermost segment of the city and home to its ruling class, the current leader of the Ps'isol Magiocrats stood in the Golden Spires' Hanging Garden. Her job was a demanding one, what with so many responsibilities to shoulder, so many different contacts to consort with. Though Alastazia Lesona loathed the analogy, she was much like a dridder, weaving a tangled web through all those under her direct command. An intricate network of mercenaries, assassins, and spies.

And yet, with all the resources at her disposal, Lesona was no closer to untangling that_ OTHER_ ensnaring web cast over Negav. This business with the slaughtered Vishmitals was causing her no end of headaches. The worst part was the unshakable feeling that all this was part of someone else's complex scheme.

That would not do. When it came to furthering a secret agenda, Alastazia Lesona could be second to no one. Especially when this unseen chessmaster was interfering with her own plans. Lesona had her own designs for the Vishmitals, that rival faction the Magiocrats currently had to share power with. This rising tension between them…it was too soon, and threatened to disrupt everything she was working toward.

Lesona twirled back around, the hem of her long, silvery-white dress flowing like silk. Her shoulder length, lavender hair rippled a bit as well. She stared at the projected image of her faithful servant with those cold, golden eyes, an unnerving look punctuated by her icy, youthful beauty. However, her servant was too disciplined to show any unease. The flickering image of a Saidakin, elite soldiers geared more toward stealth tactics than head-on combat. With their black robe-like garb, they could easily blend into the wilds of Felarya, and move stealthily and safely through it. The hoods and black, angular mouth guards also gave them an inhuman look, unnerving most humans and nekos…and even some predators.

"Run that by me one last time, Malhor," demanded Lesona. "You mean to tell me that _Crisis_ herself now has a stake in our Vishmital problem? And even has allied herself with human investigators from another world?"

"It's unbelievable, My Lady, but the truth," came the Saidakin's gravelly voice. "Apparently, whoever has killed our Vishmital allies has also killed a fairy. Having ties to the Fairy Kingdom, this must have spurred Crisis to action. And these humans helping her…they were brought here on the recommendation of the giantess Jora Fenderen."

"Ah, I know of her. The former human that now preys on her own kind," spat Lesona. Jora was known to bring accidental arrivals to Felarya within reach of Negav when this Safe Harbor was too far away. That mattered little to Lesona. Capability is what mattered to Lesona, not intent. Never, not for an instant, could Lesona forget what each and every giant predator beyond Negav's walls was capable of. "What is it that these specialists Jora knew of are supposed to accomplish?"

"Apparently, their leader, this Temperance Brennan, can learn everything about how someone lived and died, just from looking at the bones," said Malhor. "On top of that, others in the group can glean clues from flesh, blood and tiny particles left on a corpse. They've already linked a possible _FAIRY _accomplice of the killer to the slug girl Velvet. Velvet's slime was needed by this fairy for whatever reason, and ordered Velvet to eat the anthropologist. Yet Dr. Brennan triumphed over Velvet. Alone, with no predators helping her."

"I see. How fortunate for them that this fairy's corpse went unnoticed by any nexocula," mused Lesona. Now things were getting interesting, but Lesona kept her impassive mask on. At this point in her life, however, it was hardly a mask. "And you say the good doctor went toe-to-muscular foot with a slug girl, and won? Perhaps she may be of use to us. Where is she headed now?"

"I tailed them as long as I could to confirm it but…the group is headed directly for Negav," said Malhor. "And from the sound of it, they'll seek you out personally. Dr. Brennan will want the bodies of those Vishmitals."

_Out to confront the leader of the Magiocrats, fresh from a victory over a slug girl. This Dr. Brennan…whether it's arrogance driving her decisions or ignorance, she is no simpering academic. I _MUST_ gain her trust. Whatever the outcome of our murder epidemic, she's an asset I can't let slip by,_ Lesona thought to herself, grinning a little. To Malhor, she said, "Then let her come. In the meantime, stick as close as you can to the Giant Tree and keep collecting intel."

"As you wish, My Lady," said Malhor, bowing. Then the flickering image vanished in a wisp of black flame.

However, Lesona was not done. She turned back to the edge of the garden path, the stone barrier only coming up to her waist. Out from the foliage peeked a tiny head. A tomthumb, the race of tiny people in Felarya. Most of them were condemned to the bottom of Felarya's food chain, but this one had talents that Lesona always found use for.

The male tomthumb wore an elaborate suit and a wide-brimmed hat with two red feathers in its band. "And what about your end, Zil? Have your contacts found any new leads?"

"Zil regrets to inform this lady that they have yet to learn anything of use," said the tomthumb. "However, Zil will not give up his search. In a city like Negav, there are always those who know more than they are supposed to, and we tomthumbs are in the perfect position to sniff them out."

"Indeed you are, Zil. And I know your lack of progress stems from the killer covering his tracks too well, and not incompetence on your part. You've served me too well over the years," said Lesona. "Continue your efforts, but please don't be offended by my saying I plan to use this Dr. Brennan."

Zil was far too professional to get envious, but the tomthumb did cock his head to the side, curious. "So this lady believes the newcomer to Felarya can solve our murder epidemic?"

"If she can fight a slug girl head-on and survive, yes," Lesona replied.

"As this lady sees fit, then." Zil removed his hat and bowed, then retreated into the foliage. Lesona was now left alone with her brooding thoughts. The number of things she had to deal with everyday…they would easily overwhelm even some fellow Magiocrats. But not her. Having razor-sharp focus certainly helped. Lesona had changed much from the nervous wreck who barely passed the initiation exercise years ago. Anyone who continued to underestimate her did so at their peril.

Yet so far, nothing Lesona did had flushed out their murderer.

Lesona walked through the gardens again. Trees and exotic flowers and the sound of running water everywhere, level upon level of pure natural beauty…possibly the crown jewel of Negav's Higher Tier. That is, if not for the Isolon Eye.

Lesona looked up. Through two rather tall palm trees, Lesona could see the Ps'isol Magiocrats' crown achievement, bathing the whole city with its protective energy. A huge, gleaming purple crystal roughly twenty feet tall, rising like a spire over the Square of Hope. It was a masterpiece of magical design and aesthetics, but Lesona admired it for how neatly it assured their unchallengeable authority. So long as the Isolon Eye stood, nothing could challenge the Ps'isol Magiocrats.

And the Ps'isol Magiocrats _WERE_ Negav. The Vishmitals…

Lesona would sniff out this murderer, if only because arousing the Vishmitals' ire now was counterproductive.

_That, and I will allow no other hidden agendas, _Lesona thought sourly. _So, Malhor tells me our killer may have a fairy accomplice? I should have asked him to elaborate, and not get sidetracked by this…forensic anthropologist. As it is, a hostile fairy can't get into Negav itself. Especially not in these gardens, so close to…_

"Ah, you're alone," came a cheerful voice suddenly. "That means we can make this quick, and you won't have to worry about awkward questions from your subordinates."

Lesona spun around, her mind now fully alert, no longer dwelling on the mundanity of her job. "Who and what are you!? Show yourself!" Lesona demanded, sounding a little braver than she actually felt. She was a master of curses and a shrewd tactician, but head-to-head spellcasting wasn't her strongest suit…especially if she couldn't see her target.

And then, Lesona saw a sparkling aura that simply couldn't be in the Higher Tier: a fairy's size-changing magic.

Now, three figures stood before Lesona in the garden. The fairy responsible for shrinking them and sneaking into Negav stood in the middle. An insufferably gleeful thing with long purple hair and an odd, light-grey coat that covered her arms, but stopped halfway above her knees. At least this fairy had some modesty. No doubt this was Exona, the fairy traveling with Crisis and Jora.

The other two, a man and a woman whose dress was unlike anything from any worlds Lesona knew of. "OK, that was weird. I vote we just walk out of Negav," said the man. His obvious distress made it clear this was his first direct experience with fairy magic. He was lucky it wasn't also his last. Lesona stared at him a moment. The faint shimmer and odor of slug girl spit came off his pant leg.

_So…THIS is the esteemed forensic anthropologist and her partner,_ thought Lesona, studying them intently. _But what about this fairy? How is it possible for her to enter Negav, let alone get this close to the Isolon Eye? Does she have some sort of protection?_

As Lesona weighed her options – attack Exona now or summon some fellow Magiocrats to aid her – the woman who could only be Dr. Temperance Brennan spoke. "Are you Alastazia Lesona, current leader of the Ps'isol Magiocrat Council?"

The question was so direct, so free of any lingering unease from being subjected to a fairy's whim. That shocked Lesona far more than their entrance.

"I am." Lesona had to play this just right. Pretend she knew nothing about them. Playing innocent with new arrivals in Felarya always helped to bend them to her will, especially if they had run-ins with predators. "May I ask just who you are, what you're doing with a potentially lethal fairy, and why you've broken perhaps a dozen laws and regulations to pop up uninvited?"

"Well, to answer the first and third one, she's a forensic anthropologist here to help solve your recent murder problem," said the man. His impertinence was both refreshing and vexing. But at least he sounded dedicated to getting the job done. Lesona could use him, too.

"Booth, I think Dr. Brennan can speak for herself," chided Exona. The fairy then glanced at Lesona. "As for me, pay me no mind. I'm just their ride." Exona innocently strolled away from them, as if her mere presence was somehow not an affront, let alone impossible.

Lesona glowered at her, fighting the temptation to lob a curse. "That explains the why, but not the how."

Exona fiddled with some flowers, not even bothering to look Lesona in the eye. "Considering how we're practically right next door to the Isolon Eye, it should be obvious. Humans have been off my menu for a loooooooong time." The fairy finally turned to look at her. "Yet at the same time, I _AM_ here for some humans. Ones that are already dead."

Lesona knew exactly what Exona meant, but kept up her façade. She turned to Brennan. "So, you're supposed to be a…forensic anthropologist? You're obviously not from Felarya, or any world Negav deals with."

"Too true. Until yesterday, I had no idea there were worlds other than Earth," said Brennan. That piqued Lesona's interest. She knew of that world, which had virtually no magic and no predators whatsoever. The shock of seeing Felarya's dangers firsthand would make its inhabitants easy to manipulate. "I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan of the Jeffersonian Institute, and I was brought here because I owed someone a debt. There's been a string of murders in your world. Of course you know of the thirteen in this city, but now one fairy in Tolmeshal Forest was killed under similar circumstances. Those who knew that fairy think they are all connected, and want me to find the guilty party."

This was getting more and more interesting. Malhor hadn't said anything about Brennan honoring a debt. "So some of the predators out there wish to help _me_, simply because it will show them who rid us of another voracious fairy." Lesona's voice was dripping with disbelief.

"Fairy? Yes. Voracious? Hardly," Exona interjected, still admiring the garden. "Shandra swore off humans long before I did, and even brought survivors within a stone's throw of Negav. Or does that not matter to you?" That last sentence, the tone and inflections…it was a clear challenge. Lesona knew this fairy was making sport of trying to push her buttons.

Lesona could work out just why later. "The diet of this Shandra doesn't concern me as much as possible ulterior motives of those who've recruited you," said Lesona, turning back to Brennan. "What do they gain?"

"They learn who took their friend from them, and travelers will start returning to Negav," said Booth. "Negav's commerce rebounds, there's no more political headaches for you, and there's more potential food for Shandra's less picky friends. Everybody wins."

The moment was near. Appear to see the logic in those monsters' reasoning, then interject with some cold, hard logic of her own. That was what academics like Brennan would respond to. For now, Lesona would continue appearing reluctant. "No more political headaches if I help you? Hah! Suppose I was willing to take the political risk of collaborating with predators, however indirectly. What's the guarantee of a payoff?"

"On Earth, I'm the best forensic anthropologist," Brennan said bluntly. There was no trace of arrogance in her voice. She simply stated it as indisputable fact. "I have over six years' worth of experience working with Agent Booth and the FBI solving murders with scant forensic evidence. Before that, I traveled all over Earth studying the remains of ancient cultures. My talents are uniquely suited for solving these fourteen deaths."

Fourteen deaths. As if this fairy, who once preyed on their kind, should count as a person. Lesona let that slide. "And why did you agree to help these predators? You said it was a debt? You already claimed that before yesterday, you knew nothing of Felarya. What could you possibly owe any of these monsters?"

"I met Jora Fenderen before she became a giantess. I avoided a kidnapping because of her," said Brennan.

So that was it. And from the sound of it, Brennan was blissfully unaware of Jora's dietary habits. Lesona decided to save that trump card for later. "Very well, now that I understand where you stand, I'd like to know why you've come to me. With a fairy in tow, no less."

"The bodies of your murdered citizens. I need them all," Brennan stated bluntly.

"And just like that, I'm supposed to hand them over? A complete stranger to Felarya barges into a semi-restricted area, and the Magiocrats' leader must hand over everything you demand?" Lesona asked delicately. Brennan exerted considerable influence on her world, but best she be reminded of her precarious new position here.

"Those bodies haven't been much use to your law enforcement divisions rotting in your morgue, otherwise you'd at least have some suspects by now," said Booth, just as bluntly and with infinite more vehemence. "Bottom line: Bones knows how to get evidence from dead bodies. You don't."

"And what of this dead fairy? Has her body yielded no clues?" Lesona pressed on.

"My coworkers are still going over the victim's flesh and analyzing particulates, but I have yet to examine her bones for myself. By the time I return to the Giant Tree, the putrification of the remaining flesh should be complete," said Brennan.

She mentioned the Giant Tree. Crisis. That slip gave Lesona a perfect opening. Laughing, she said, "So it's not just _ANY_ predator you're mixed up with. It's the infamous Crisis herself! I was recently made aware of her lingering presence just outside the Isolon Eye's range, and was debating whether to dispatch the Isolon Fist. Am I to assume you traveled this far with her?"

"What's Crisis got to do with anything, so long as your murders are solved?" asked Exona suddenly. "Dr. Brennan is asking you for dead bodies, not to let Crisis frolic down the Street of Red Flowers."

"True, but I can't be seen doing business with Crisis, no matter the circumstances," Lesona shot back. Now was the time to spring the trap. She slowly began to circle around Brennan and Booth. "However, I am entirely open to soliciting your services, should you choose to relocate here in Negav. I can provide the finest facilities for you to work in, and as much manpower as you need. In addition…you said studying ancient cultures is part of your work, yes? Why not stay here in Negav? Once this murder epidemic is over, you'll be given a chance to study peoples and locations you never dreamed existed! If you're as good an anthropologist as you say, there's no price too high for your services."

Booth and Brennan glanced at each other, silent for a moment. "Well, like I said, the killer's probably here, and the glut of incriminating evidence must be here, too," said Booth.

"But Booth, now that the forensics lab has been set up, and Seliky is nearly done designing a new interface, it would waste too much time transferring everything to Negav," Brennan pointed out. "On top of that, not all of the fairies are back with samples for Hodgins. I doubt many of them can freely travel into Negav like Exona can."

"Speaking of which, I'm just gonna take some dirt and water samples from the garden while I'm at it. It'll save me a trip later," said Exona suddenly. Lesona looked down at a lower level where water pooled. The fairy was busily collecting a sample in some small flask. Hardly illegal, but still, Lesona found it vexing.

"I'm sorry, Lady Lesona, but for the moment, we will have to reject your offer," said Brennan evenly. "All of the advanced equipment we need for this investigation is at the Giant Tree, and would take far too long to relocate elsewhere. Furthermore, the predators working with us can cover more ground, and are more familiar with the terrain. We can assign someone to help investigate in Negav, but for the moment, the bulk of our team needs to stay at the Giant Tree."

Lesona told herself not to let resentment build. Temperance Brennan was simply making what she thought was a rational choice. _Logical to a fault. _"So you are comfortable with staying in Crisis's lair during your stay in Felarya, rather than among your own kind?"

"We've been around her for two days and haven't had any problems," Booth pointed out. Clearly, he usually deferred to his partner. Was there more going on? "Plus, Crisis did fight off that flock of harpies yesterday, and took a beating in the process. She's creepy, but trustworthy. Not to mention there's plenty of vegetarian predators hanging around the Giant Tree right now…"

Lesona fought to maintain calm, but the thought of a hulking ditz like Crisis winning a charm offensive after merely two days made it difficult. Dr. Brennan was an asset she _HAD_ to deny these predators…before one decided to make a meal out of them. Brennan turned back to Lesona. "If we do send someone from our team to Negav in a day or so, can we count on your cooperation?"

"Certainly. But I would still like to know if there's any chance your team will move to Negav, perhaps permanently. There is so much I can offer as the Magiocrats' leader."

"We…will take that into consideration," said Brennan. "In the meantime, what about the bodies? Can we…"

The thunderous sound of heavy footfalls in the garden silenced Brennan. Within a few seconds, armed security, both Vishmitals and the Magiocrats' honor guards, formed a half-circle in front of Booth and Brennan, shielding Lesona from them. _Understandable,_ thought Lesona. _If Dr. Brennan can beat a slug girl, one can never underestimate her._

"Lady Lesona, who are these intruders? What is there business here?" asked one of the honor guards.

"Is this a bad time to fly back up here?" asked Exona. She fluttered idly above their level, prompting the Vishmitals to take aim, yet they held their fire.

"These…intruders approached me with an offer for help," said Lesona evenly. Her plan to recruit Dr. Brennan was thwarted, for the moment, but she could at least make use of her. If she solved her murder problem, her other plans could then proceed. "Captain, I want the bodies of the thirteen murder victims, and all the documents about the cases, ready to be moved out of the city. Dr. Temperance Brennan will be taking them. And I want this kept _QUIET_."

The disbelief among the soldiers was palpable. "Lady Lesona, the bodies of our fallen brothers…they're being handed over to these strangers in league with a _FAIRY_!?"

"Open your eyes. Does this fairy appear to be suffering from the Isolon Eye's effects? No? Then she is not a threat." Lesona felt she was trying to convince herself more than her underlings. But right now, getting these troops to go along with this was paramount. "This woman, however, this forensic anthropologist, can possibly learn something from their bodies that we couldn't, even after all these months." That got the Vishmitals' attention. They muttered among themselves, but the honor guards were still dubious. Ignoring them for the moment, Lesona turned to Exona. "When the bodies are prepped, you can shrink them so…"

Exona shook her head. "If I do that, I risk compromising any evidence."

Lesona scowled at the fairy. Brennan and her team certainly weren't making this easy for her. "Very well. Wagons will be prepped. Once the wagons are safely outside Negav's walls, enlarge yourself and just carry them out." Lesona leaned closer. "And make sure your other predator associates are _not seen_," she added through gritted teeth.

Exona smirked. "A human killing other humans possibly still on the loose in your city, and you're worried about how it'll look if Crisis helps you catch him?" she whispered, taunting her. "No matter how much I learn about humans, it's still amazing, the things they fear…"

Their eyes locked for a moment. Unaffected by the Isolon Eye or not, there was something about this fairy that vexed Lesona, beyond the usual happy-go-lucky attitude. Booth eventually wedged himself between them, handing Lesona this strange black, flat rectangular thing about the size of her outstretched hand. "If we find anything, or if you need to contact us, we can use this to communicate." He took a moment to show Lesona how this 'phone' worked. Lesona always distrusted technology, fearing her faction may become dependent on it one day like the Vishmitals. But if it helped keep this collaboration as quiet as possible…

Soon after that, Booth, Brennan and Exona were escorted out of the garden. Exona could have easily shrunk herself and stayed out of sight, thus avoiding awkward questions, but she seemed determined to needle Lesona as much as possible. Lesona stared at Booth's phone, already having second thoughts about this arrangement.

Lesona consoled herself with the possibility of recruiting Dr. Brennan when all was said and done. Brilliant, a skilled fighter, inhumanly cold, and rational to a fault? Her only ambition to further her knowledge and her craft? Lesona could easily work with that. Mold her into whatever she needed. _Let's hope none of these other predators get the same idea,_ she suddenly thought.

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Felarya character credits:

Crisis, Anna Demorah, Temi, Léa, Lily, Belletia, Melany, Subeta, Aya, Frerik Mezzus, Alastazia Lesona and Zil belong to Karbo

Milly, Isham, Elia, Calina, Lucilya, Jissy, Roshan, Ajab and Pal Sebrit belong to FrenchSnack

Jora Fenderen, Jade and Tanny belong to Ravana3K

Remus vir Patstriker and Xanthe belong to NickInAmerica

Katrika and Velvet belong to Zoekin3

Milia Moonlieth and Zycra Zordford belong to vaderaz

Seliky Serela belongs to kikijonson

Fiona belongs to rcs169

Noxcia belongs to turboman500

Kai Roga Mayin belongs to JiroKatsu

Exona, General Garrardo, Shandra and Malhor belong to yours truly, Grey-X


	8. The Harpies and the Hearses

Dynamic Equilibrium

a Bones/Felarya crossover

Chapter 8: The Harpies and the Hearses

6-20-2013

by Greyman

Disclaimer: Bones and all related characters are the property of 20th Century Fox. Felarya is the creation and property of Karbo, and all associated characters are the property of their respective creators.

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"Andddddd…that should be the last of it," said Dr. Hodgins, removing one last twig from Zycra's hair. Given how this succubus was supposedly attacked from a distance, he doubted there would be any useful evidence on her person, but nothing could be overlooked.

Zycra was sitting on a bulbous piece of wooden outgrowth near one of the alcove's two main entrances. She turned to smile at Hodgins, the setting sun casting an eerie glow through her black hair, but nowhere near as eerie as the golden glow from her eyes. "Glad to be of assistance, doctor," said Zycra, doing her best to sound sultry. She sprang up and backflipped out of the alcove, only for her head to resurface a second later, having enlarged back to giant size. Zycra smiled wickedly. "Ah, that's better. Not that your company was tiresome, Hodgins, but being forced to stay at one size does wear on someone. A girl likes options, you know."

"Yeah, uh-huh," said Hodgins quickly. The weight of those huge golden, teasing eyes made Hodgins a little anxious. Angela had already given him earfuls over his newfound fascination with nagas and dridders; he didn't dare show too much interest in a _SUCCUBUS_. "I gotta get back to work. Just so you know, any particulates taken off your person will have to wait. Booth said if there's a lull in the samples hauled back by fairies, I'd better check for particulates on the mystery naga's hair first."

Instead of seeming miffed from given the brush-off, Zycra's eyes were still alight with mischievousness and curiosity. "Booth, Hodgins…those names sound so familiar. I know I've heard them before. Where did I…A-HA!"

The succubus's booming cry nearly made Hodgins fall back. "W-W-Wha…-W-W-Why'd you…"

"I remember a particularly evil new arrival once shouting all your names, as if to burn them in effigy," said Zycra. "Heather Taffet was her name,I believe."

Just the mention of that name brought a wave of boiling fury right back. "Gravedigger? You…_met_ the Gravedigger?"

"Oh yes. Y'see, us succubi in Hell are given denizens with exceptionally evil souls as a reward sometimes," Zycra explained. "As you may guess, I'm not the oldest demoness down there, so so far, I've only gotten one like that: Heather Taffet."

Hodgins was afraid of where this was going. "And…when a succubus gets such a soul, what happens?"

Zycra said nothing. An absurdly long tongue, even for her size, shot out of her mouth. It came nowhere near Hodgins, but it still made him jump. She obnoxiously licked her lips, and her lips made a smacking sound just as her tongue slipped back into her mouth.

"Ah, of course. Stupid question," said Hodgins dryly.

Not particularly eager to talk to the succubus anymore, Hodgins turned to take Zycra's samples back to the other end of the alcove. But at the moment, his mind was on the Gravedigger's final fate. _That'll certainly challenge both Brennan and Booth's notions. Brennan must be flabbergasted that a Hell exists, and Booth'll be shaken by how it's a lot different from what he always believed. Plus how Taffet isn't exactly going to suffer for eternity._

Hodgins wasn't sure how he felt about Taffet's fate. There was some regret that the Gravedigger wouldn't spend an eternity in agony for her crimes. Then again, when it came to these 'predators'…if _ANYONE_ deserved to die slowly and painfully like that, it was Heather Taffet. He sometimes thought getting sniped by Broadsky amounted to getting off easily. Part of him was glad that hadn't been the end of the story.

And now there was _NO WAY_ for the Gravedigger to rise from her own grave. Or bone box in the Jeffersonian, or whatever.

Hodgins headed to the work station near the other end of the alcove, where the absurdly huge strand of hair was waiting for him. Along the way, he passed where Angela was set up, still busily working with Seliky. Last he heard, the two of them were working on a new program that would substitute for the Angelatron. Also standing with them was Temi. Hodgins still wasn't sure what to make of Temi. She abstained from preying on their kind, for the most part, but as leader of her pack, she didn't exactly dissuade any other fairies…

"What're you ladies up to?" Hodgins found himself asking, before he knew it.

Angela turned around, holding Michael close. "Going through Zycra's photos. They're actually quite useful…at least, when she wasn't using Temp's camera like a horny teenager with an iPhone."

Hodgins glanced at their screen. There were thumbnails of a couple dozen digital photos. Some were of the site of the Deluran unit's decimation, but others… Zycra had taken time to pose provocatively for the camera, sometimes going so far as to brandish that freakishly long tongue. As if that'd turn anyone on.

"If you think this is bad, I can only imagine what Vivian or Malika would do with such a device," said Temi.

"A h yes, the irresistible Vivian. So we've heard," said Angela nonchalantly. Hodgins made a mental note to stay as far away from this Vivian as possible, should she get involved. Angela was thinking the same thing. "If we need information from her, maybe it's best if Sweets and my husband stay far away."

Seliky shook her head. "That's no guarantee Vivian'll be no trouble. She's…not all that choosy about who she flirts with, if you know what I mean."

Not liking where things were going, Hodgins pointed to one of the thumbnails. It was a photo of a long swath in sand obviously left by a giant naga. "So…what were you saying about useful intel from these photos? Any guesses on this new mystery naga?"

Angela enlarged the photo. "As if we needed further proof, but whatever naga gorged herself on these troops, it definitely wasn't Crisis. The width of Crisis's snake tail that makes contact with the ground is about nineteen feet." Angela hit a few keys, and suddenly some measurement lines appeared over the swaths. "But _THIS_ naga, she's _much_ bigger. A belly width of at least twenty-three feet. That'd probably put her in the same size class as our other new 'friend'…"

"Just don't let Kai hear you say anything like that," said Temi. "She's…quite sensitive about her size."

Hodgins glanced over to the alcove's other exit. Sweets was standing there, with Kai's huge head looming over the opening. The stern swordsnaga…was actually smiling? Beside her was Fiona. Actually, Fiona had lowered her head into the alcove, yet Sweets didn't seem distressed. In fact, he seemed ecstatic. No doubt he was having a great time, studying the psychology of nagas firsthand. If he couldn't go delve into the mindboggling biodiversity of Tolmeshal Forest, at least Sweets could get _something_ out of this whole sordid affair.

"But there's something else about these naga tracks," Temi said suddenly. Hodgins's gaze snapped back to the screen. "Even without Angela's measurements, I can tell these weren't left by Crisis. Crisis is quite carefree, and her tracks would reflect how sprightly she is. But the movements of _THIS_ naga…they're purposeful, disciplined. Someone with a mind not just on stuffing her face, but much more. Just looking at these…this naga is the polar opposite of Crisis."

_Except both have no problem shoveling dozens of sentient beings in their mouths,_ Hodgins thought sourly, barely able to keep it to himself. Hodgins saw no point in dwelling on it further. Walking over to the workstation with the naga hair, he almost laughed to himself. He resented looking into the deaths of dozens of more people, and why? Because he'd rather get to the bottom of Shandra's death and go home. As if those Delurans…it was just the natural order. This crazy deathtrap of a world…it was already getting to him.

As Hodgins got to work, looking for particulates stuck in the hair, he couldn't help but overhear the conversation between Kai and Sweets. "This truly is incredible. The two of you…this throws the whole 'nature vs. nurture' debate into an even sharper relief," said Sweets, his excitement palpable. "I mean, you two have been left to your own devices for a long time. Fiona rarely succumbs to temptation, and you Kai, never. And I can only assume that you've been around a lot longer than Fiona. Just…how old are you?"

For some reason, Hodgins felt a chill fall over the alcove. Looking up, he saw Kai's smile…it was still there, but now it seemed forced. Kai's eyes were screwed shut, no doubt coming from an effort to hold back her frustration. Occasionally, she also shook. "Let's…just say Felarya's been my home for a very, very long time…"

"Ooooh, I should've mentioned it's also not a good idea to bring up Kai's age," Temi said from Angela's work area.

Hodgins caught a glimpse of how Sweets was withering in the presence of Kai's barely-contained frustration. "Ya _THINK_!?" Hodgins bellowed back.

Thankfully, Noxcia crawled over and inadvertently broke up the tension. "Fiona, I've noticed something odd about the wood in the branch, right where the murder took place. I could use your help in calibrating some of Anna's equipment."

"Oh, errr, OK," said Fiona meekly, no doubt anxious to get away. She slithered off after Noxcia, leaving Sweets and Kai with an awkward silence hanging over them.

Soon enough, it was broken again by a cry from another predator. This one, though, wasn't as inviting to Hodgins as the titanic dridder. "Are we…interrupting anything important? Oh! Kai, what're you doing here?" Hodgins turned back to the alcove to see Milly approaching, along with, of all things, a _male _giant right behind her. A guy with short, reddish-brown hair, pointy ears and a rather tanned complexion, he wore a simple grey T-shirt and shorts. No wait, this guy wasn't a giant. As he got closer, Hodgins could make out the fairy wings on his back. So these man-eating pixies weren't an all-female race.

Kai turned away from Sweets to face Milly, and suddenly her smile seemed less forced. "Not really. I was sort of giving Sweets here my, uhh, life history. Seems I'm the latest person to be caught up in this whole 'murder mystery' thing…"

Milly stepped closer, practically looming over Sweets now. The calm Sweets exuded moments before melted a little, now that a predator with far less inhibitions drew near.

Temi flew up in front of Milly's face. "So what brings you here, Milly? I didn't think I'd see you and Yemic back in the Giant Tree anytime soon."

Milly sighed, the sigh of someone with a lot on her mind. "It's just…I felt I could do more with this whole 'murder investigation' thing. I felt bad about just dropping Dr. Brennan and her team off at the, uh, 'murder site' and leaving it at that."

"So Milly thought we should drop off some fresh picks from our garden," said the male fairy who was obviously Yemic. "Good idea if you ask me. In the rush to find out just _HOW_ to get these humans to Felarya, we figured no one really thought about the long-term logistics."

Yemic was more level-headed and pragmatic than most other fairies Hodgins had met, that was for sure.

"There's more. Shortly before this mess began, Jora rescued a whole bunch of humans from their world. They're now in Safe Harbor," explained Milly. "We've told them there now may be a way back, but in the meantime, they're willing to lend things like extra clothes and other supplies."

So much for long-term logistics. Hodgins wasn't sure how to handle a slew of other people reappearing in the Jeffersonian's Aztec exhibit. But that was a problem for another time. For Caroline Julian, hopefully.

"Plus, while we were in Safe Harbor, we met up with a couple old friends who also feel like jerks for ditching our crime-solvers," added Yemic.

That piqued Hodgins's interest. Looking up, he saw the fairy deposit three figures into the alcove. It took a moment for the entomologist to place the names. "Remus and Xanthe," he muttered. Right behind them, there was also what looked like a young girl with white hair, whom Hodgins didn't recognize. "Oh well, so long as they didn't bring…"

"Hey! Don't forget me!" came a boisterous voice that made Hodgins's blood boil. High above the alcove's entrance, Hodgins saw a dark-skinned catgirl jump from Milly's head to her shoulder, then slide down the length of her arm.

Angela didn't look any happier. Hodgins swore he saw her hold Michael a little more tightly. "And what, pray tell, is the baby-napper doing here?" she demanded irritably.

Milly looked more awkward than Hodgins could ever recall seeing her, even more than when Melany blithely ate those people. "She…insists that I don't need her to protect the Alsumi right now, and just wanted a little change of scenery."

"And really, is this gonna be a sticky issue?" Calina asked dismissively. "Especially considering you've set up shop in the home of the mage-to-be that hypnotized your psychologist and coroner, then blasted the rest of you?"

Calina had a point. They were tolerating a surprising amount of abuse from these Felaryans. Was anything short of being eaten somehow acceptable?

"Speaking of the hypnotized coroner, can I interject here?" came Camille's voice, stepping into their work area. "I went over all the tox screens again, and surprise surprise, there were no substances in Shandra's system that I'm familiar with. But there was one possible toxin that's eerily familiar to an old friend back home, plus it looks like her serum still had a ridiculous amount of one antibody. I'll have to design more tests to see if they're specific to this one toxin. Any else have more concrete results?"

"Beyond the gunk under the victim's nails that let to Velvet, nothing on my end," said Hodgins. "It'll be awhile before I can complete the tests on this hair, plus whatever new sample packs come in tonight. But until I can swab the victim's ribs, I don't think I'll have anything."

"Those bones should be ready by tomorrow morning," said Seliky. "Then we'll see if the good doctor lives up to her pet name…"

Hodgins shot Seliky a nasty look, which she ignored. Milly looked more bemused than ever. "So…you haven't exactly solved the mystery yet?" the giantess asked delicately.

Camille looked a little vexed. "Even back home, we usually don't solve a case in only twenty-four hours," she said evenly. "Factor in we only have one body out of fourteen thus far, and our complete unfamiliarity with Felarya, and I think we're making reasonable progress."

Milly quietly took all this in. "I see. Well, I wish Yemic and I could do more to help, but for now, here's some stuff from my garden." Hodgins saw Milly set what looked like ridiculously huge potato-like tubers, along with other massive plants he couldn't quite see from his vantage point. "It shouldn't definitely be enough while you're here, and for the other predators in the tree, it may help stave off the need to, well, you know…"

Milly was clearly reluctant to discuss her eating habits, but still didn't seem to feel particularly guilty. "Oh, well, how thoughtful," was all Camille could say.

"It's too bad you six didn't have a little something Milly likes that happens to be in abundance on Earth," Remus said teasingly, looking up at Milly.

"Yeah, a little thing she likes to call 'chocyluc'," Yemic added, smiling.

Camille's expression was blank for a moment. "What, you mean chocolate?"

"YES! Yes, that's the word humans use!" exclaimed Milly.

Suddenly, Camille flashed a wry smile. "Well, if that's the case, there was this one case that had what the doctor order," said Camille. "What was supposed to be the biggest chocolate bar ever made. The perfect size for you."

Milly's eyes lit up. "Really? A piece of chocyluc that big? No need for fairy magic?"

Camille nodded. "But alas, it turned out that someone was strangled to death in the mold before the chocolate could solidify. By the time it was cut open, all the flesh was liquefied. Just poured right on out, one big soppy, putrid mess, leaving a perfect view of the rib cage on one side and the pelvic girdle on the other. Leaving me _absolutely nothing_ to work with, except for trapped bubbles belched out by the victim as she died. All in all, _not_ the way to combine humans and chocolate to suit your tastes, I'd imagine."

Camille said all this with a devilish smile, a stark contrast to Milly and Yemic's looks of shock and utter revulsion. It was a while before Milly could speak again. "This…this is your way of trying to get me to swear off humans for good, isn't it?"

"My advice, Camille, is to not try," Remus cut in. "Trust me, the way I once tried to 'convince' Milly… If that didn't do it, nothing will."

Camille looked to Remus, then back to Milly, still smiling. "So, is he right?" she asked slyly.

It took another moment before Milly could give her awkward reply: "Let me get back to you on that…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The thirteen bodies, which had been hidden away in the Higher Tier, were loaded onto two caravan wagons, to be taken through the Watchers' Gate in the south. An escort of Vishmitals and the Magiocrats' personal guard escort the wagons. Lesona's gift for prudence was not exaggerated.

By now, the sun had almost disappeared below Negav's buildings, and a vibrant, reddish sky hung over the city. The caravan had just exited the Higher Tier; now the Middle Tier awaited. Already, one could notice the drastic change. While the Higher Tier housed the most affluent in Negav, the Middle Tier clearly housed Negav's middle class as the name would imply. Marketplaces, residential buildings, public buildings…the types of places one would expect to see where most Negavians lived.

That was doubtless what Dr. Brennan was thinking, her anthropologist's brain digesting all these firsthand views of a completely alien, yet human, culture.

Exona was glad that Brennan had this opportunity. Despite devoting most of her time to giving a voice to those who only left their bones behind, this sort of anthropology would always be Brennan's first love. Exona sat between her and Booth at the back of the first wagon. No doubt it still vexed Lesona to no end, her refusal to shrink down and stay out of sight.

Exona watched as humans clambered up stairs snaking along the sides of buildings, darted across bridges between buildings that ran above alleyways, and browsed the goods for sale in the many open markets at ground level. It was a rare opportunity to observe humans like this, in a place where they held the advantage. Where they more wary of each other than of predators.

"These people are hiding it well. But I can tell they're nervous…even before they get a good look at you, Exona," Booth said suddenly. Just then, Exona looked down to see a human woman close to the wagon, surrounded by children, doubtless her own. One of the children had just spotted her, pointing at her with a yelp. Unsurprisingly, the mother hurried her children away. The child's cry drew the attention of other pedestrians. Their gazes were focused on Exona for many long moments, but Vishmitals escorting the wagons dissuaded them from acting on their fears.

Exona watched the small crowd of confused onlookers melt away. "It's not surprising. From what I understand, these people have lots of practice. Even with the Isolon Eye, and even before all this nasty murder business, life in Negav is hardly trouble-free."

"You mentioned political turmoil between the Magiocrats and the Vishmitals happened before," said Brennan. "Given how these people's lifespans have been extended, it must still be fresh in many minds."

"Not only that, life can be harsh even when the political scene is stable," said Exona. "Because Negav is more or less the only safe haven for humans, it attracts…those many would avoid. Thugs, thieves, you get the idea. The crime rate is high in many places, and the streets at night aren't much safer than the jungle. Then there's the politics, again. Given how much influence the Magiocrats have thanks to the Eye, they can get a little…heady at times. A tendency to boss everyone around, if you get my drift. And let's not get into how things fare for those that aren't human…"

"What d'you mean? I thought this was you first trip to Negav," said Booth.

"Hah! More like the first time I dared get _THAT_ close to the Isolon Eye! And probably the first time I've observed the humans in Negav so…openly." There were some angry jeers hurled at the caravan, no doubt directed at her, but they were followed by the sounds of Vishmitals readying their weapons. Exona turned in the direction the cries came from, then smiled and waved. The piercing gazes fired back at Exona said it all. _A pity so many humans let fear and anger get the better of them. As a whole, they can do better. They must do better._

"Unfortunately, some of Negav's citizens are obviously not very welcoming," said Brennan. "You said that Xanthe frequented these districts, and never encountered any hostility. Is it still hard for these people to believe a fairy unaffected by the Eye is no threat?"

"You're tasked with solving mysteries that show humans at their worst. Is it any surprise that those living in a world this hostile are a little paranoid?" Exona countered. Exona gazed back out at the bustling crowd. Every so often, there was a nervous glanced thrown her way. "But yes, it's still vexing, knowing I can't exactly mingle with these humans as easily as Xanthe did. But again, I'm hardly the only one that isn't human facing that problem."

"You were about to explain that," said Booth. "Maybe the thing with fairies is understandable, but what about other species? The nekos, for instance."

"Mostly relegated to separate villages north of Negav, where they enjoy protection from Isolon Eye-knockoffs that need recharging. For a price," Exona explained, a faint bitterness in her voice. "When the Ps'isol Magiocrats first came to power, they enacted policies intended to drive out a majority of the neko population to Nekomura. And the ones staying here…there's a host of laws and regulations that make life here a chore. And don't get me started on the human-sized versions of predators, like nagas and harpies. Forbidden to rent property, things like that…"

Exona didn't have to look at either of her companions to gauge their unease. The country on the world they came from… From the books she read, Exona knew it had a long history of apartheid that it still struggled with. Booth and Brennan clearly were not proud of it, and unsurprisingly, were now a little scornful of the Ps'isol Magiocrats they just made a deal with.

That capacity to put racial loyalties aside and recognize one's own faults. It made Exona respect Booth and Brennan even more. _Lesona was really putting the mental thumbscrews on these two. She clearly wants them working for her…permanently. But a chronic backstabber like Alastazia Lesona doesn't deserve to have humans like these under her thumb. Seeley Booth and Temperance Brennan are two of the finest humanity has to offer. It's important for them to understand that._

"Why all the hostility toward nekos?" asked Booth. "I mean, the only one we've met was Calina. But they can't all be smarmy babynappers."

"It has to do with their eating habits, I suppose," said Exona. "You've yet to see any, but there are races of tiny people in Felarya. The tomthumbs, which are basically little humans, and the neeras. Sentient mice, basically. Nekos typically prey on both, and it tends to rub humans the wrong way."

This seemed to shock Brennan and Booth into silence for a moment. Eventually, Brennan found her voice again. "So…the neko we met, Calina… She preys on these two peoples?"

"All except the Alsumi, the tribe that Milly befriended. Calina and Milly struck a weird deal some time back, from what I gather. Calina's been working to protect those tomthumbs ever since," said Exona.

"Wow. For a world where the law of the jungle's taken to extremes, there's a whole lot of exceptions," Booth noted.

"Perhaps, Agent Booth. But it is distressing, how even these minor instances of flouting that law are the _exception_, not the rule," said Exona.

The caravan was now heading down Mercenary Lane, and soon entered the Lower Tier. This was where most of the defense fortifications and headquarters for military divisions were located. It was also where one would find the poorest, and thus most violent, area of Negav: the Cremona Maze. Glancing to their right, Booth and Brennan got a good look at its easternmost edge. The sun had sunk even lower, and now one could barely make out anyone moving along those run-down buildings and winding, narrow alleys. But those they could see…Exona knew they could tell they were either nervous or anxiously awaiting another victim to mug.

"Like any major city, there's the more glamorous side and the seedier underbelly. It's strange, Exona. I've spent so much time studying civilizations on Earth, trying to piece together what life in ancient cities was actually like," said Brennan. "Now I not only learn that humans have somehow migrated to other dimensions, I get to see a fascinating cosmopolitan city-state firsthand."

"It's something, isn't it?" Exona said in agreement. "Like I said, it's my first time taking it all in from this perspective, too."

"Yeah, count me in if Bones wants to do first-hand anthropological work here in Negav. There's plenty to keep even a soldier-boy like me interested," said Booth. "How are defenses coordinated between this Isolon Fist and these Vishmitals? What are the schools like? What are the religions like, and…well, Bones may not care too much about that last one."

"Actually, Booth, I've been wondering about that myself," Brennan cut in. "Both Sweets and I would be curious about what sort of belief systems emerged among civilizations in a harsh world like Felarya."

Exona chuckled a little. "Well, there's no better place than Negav to study that! Followers of Khord and Lataran and the Doctrine of Oth in abundance here. Not to mention the occasional creepy cultist pining for the comebacks of Déméchrelle or Queen Sineria."

"What about…fairies?" Booth asked delicately. "Do fairies have any religions? Or believe in any gods?"

Exona sighed. "That first question…not really. The second…well, it depends on what you consider worshipping as a god, Booth. The closest thing Felarya has to gods are the five Guardians."

"The Guardians? Are we talking _Green Lantern_-ish Guardians?" asked Booth.

"I don't know what that means," Exona and Brennan said in unison.

"OK, that's…getting a little creepy," muttered Booth.

"But anyway, the Guardians are beings of immense power. Hardly anyone's seen them, and before you ask Dr. Brennan, the reason we know they exist is because there are several written accounts of their intervention," Exona went on, staving off what was sure to be sharp questions. "They supposedly only act when there's an overwhelming threat to Felarya, like with the aforementioned banishment of Déméchrelle. And they also work to preserve its balance. Whatever these beings consider a proper balance, at any rate."

Brennan took a moment to digest this. "So…do fairies worship these Guardians as gods?"

Exona smirked. "More like one of our own is a Guardian: Queen Nemyra. Whether or not she should be revered…that's up for debate."

Brennan was about to ask something else, but loud calls from up ahead made her peer around the wagon. They were nearing the Watchers' Gate, and about to leave the safety of Negav's walls.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The caravan caused quite a stir as it traveled through Negav, perhaps most of all in its Lower Tier. The more destitute citizens were no doubt eyeing the wagons with longing eyes, but the Vishmitals alone were more than enough to deter would-be thieves.

However, there was one figure near the Watchers' Gate, shrouded in a long, black cloak and hood, and seated upon a mini-jetbike. She eyed the wagons with something far removed from greed or desperation. Confusion mingled with seething hate. Even at about a dozen yards, there was no mistaking what was seated in the back of that first wagon. That light-grey coat and purple hair drew many eyes, and upon seeing those crystalline wings, the hooded figure shook with rage.

"A fairy, here…tagging along with a Vishmital escort?" Milia thought aloud. The wagons went on toward the Watchers' Gate, the Vishmitals seemingly unconcerned about that particular passenger. Their bevors could concealing their unease, however.

But suddenly, the fairy turned to look into the crowd. Her eyes glowed like gold in the creeping dusk, and seemed to lock with Milia's. As if sensing her brewing fury, the fairy waved and smiled.

Milia reflexively glanced away, not trusting herself to resist summoning a water torrent to flatten her. Unable to help herself, though, Milia glanced back as the caravan neared the gate. Sitting beside the fairy was a human woman, also completely oblivious to the danger that monster posed. She was gazing at the crowds in fascination and wonder. In a way, hers was a childlike innocence even more insufferable than that fairy's.

"Whoever you are, I hope you're more with it outside Negav, otherwise you're a midnight snack. Possibly for that fairy," Milia hissed under her breath.

Milia's cloak swirled as she turned her jetbike around, following the caravan after it had cleared the gate. Her apartment was here in the Lower Tier, where some of the more spartan members of Negav's military factions preferred to live, forsaking the opulence of the lodgings in the Higher Tier. Unfortunately for Milia, she lived in the southeastern edge of the tier, and her goal was practically on the opposite side of Negav. But Milia hadn't wanted to move until dusk, where her cloak would let her blend in with Negav's nighttime gloom. After she cleared the gate and banked left, Milia could sail over the Motamo River once she reached it, which formed a half-circle around Negav's northern half. Then it was off into Nekomura…

"Whatever that Magiocrat aide and that Vishmital are up to, I aim to find out," Milia muttered to herself. "Things have been spiraling out of control since this murder epidemic began. Having a fairy leave Negav unmolested is proof of it."

It wasn't long before Milia was clear of Negav's walls. Then she hugged the city's outer edge as her jetbike rocketed on, staying well within the Isolon Eye's range. Thankfully, the noise-cancelling magic crystals fixed into the engine would ensure Milia wouldn't alert the Vishmitals manning the cannons above.

Best to stay protected and out of anyone's sight as long as possible. She knew better than even the older, more experienced Isolon Fist warriors how deadly Felarya was at night. But there was something going on, something that went beyond the usual political sleight of hand that was business-as-usual in Negav. This could be her one chance to throw light on it.

Milia only hoped she wouldn't unveil involvement with fairies. Of all of Felarya's predators, those smug, deceptive imps were the worst. She had lost far too many friends to those monsters.

"Either way, it's virtually assured I won't like what I find," muttered Milia as she rode on.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

By the time the wagons were well beyond Negav's walls, night had finally fallen. The caravan halted under the cover of some comparatively smaller trees. Whatever beasts of burden were used to pull the wagons…they were unlatched and led back into the city. The Vishmitals and honor guards said nothing as they headed back, and only a few occasionally cast nervous glances back. _They don't even know about Crisis,_ thought Temperance. _Even experienced, trained servicemen from Negav are always on edge in the jungle._

Temperance and Booth stayed at the back of their wagon as they watched the soldiers retreat. "Hang on you two. This part will be even bumpier," said Exona as she hopped down. She steadily enlarged herself to her maximum size. Even after seeing fairy magic used so often, it was still disconcerting. It violated every physics principle she knew of, and having it used on herself did nothing to dispel her unease.

Temperance only hoped Sweets had had better luck figuring out how fairies think. Exona's mannerisms were outwardly similar to her own in many ways, but her fellow fairies were another matter. Even without factoring in their voraciousness, the way they thought and behaved was completely alien.

Yet one of these beings was the murder victim Temperance had to find justice for.

Booth and Temperance clung to the railing as Exona carefully picked up both wagons. Temperance heard a plangent rushing noise that could only be the furious beating of Exona's wings. The fairy effortlessly flew low to the ground, heading back toward Jora and Crisis. How those wings could give Exona any lift at her maximum size still mystified Temperance.

It wasn't long before they all regrouped and began their trek back to the Giant Tree. Crisis took point, one wagon carefully tucked under each arm. Meanwhile, Temperance and Brennan rode on Jora's shoulder again, while Exona shrank back to human size and fluttered all around, on the lookout for any threats. The Felaryan jungle certainly looked different at night, and Temperance didn't really want to dwell on what dangers awaited on the ground in the darkness.

There were more pressing things to mull over. Just what did this Imkza need with Velvet's slime? What was the purpose of framing Crisis for that feeding frenzy involving Delurans? What was it that made Shandra doubtful, and possibly got her killed as a result?

Temperance's thoughts were interrupted by Crisis thinking aloud. "So…there's really a bunch of humans in these? Ones that're…well, dead?"

"Why? Don't tell me your tempted to make a snack of them," grumbled Booth.

Crisis shot a look of utter revulsion back at Booth. "Oh, no way. It's just that…well, whenever I come across these wagon-things, there's usually plenty of tasty humans inside. That's how it was the day I found Léa."

Temperance recalled Léa's story about meeting Crisis, and the strong friendship they enjoyed ever since. It was still hard to believe anyone could be that nonchalant about seeing other people get eaten alive, even for someone as traumatized as Léa. _Then again, Léa was incredibly composed and calm when those harpies attacked. If harpies attack again, I doubt even I could maintain a…_

Crisis suddenly tensed up. The naga looked up, and her face fell. "Oh no, not again…"

Crisis dove to her left, just as something crashed down from above. Temperance's eyes widened. Even with only a half-moon overhead, there was no mistaking those purple feathers and hair. As fate would have it, Belletia was on the attack again.

Jora backed up anxiously, one hand held in front of Temperance and Booth, as if to shield them. "What, once this week wasn't enough for you overgrown down pillows?!" Jora roared at Belletia. "You think we really need Noxcia to shove your pinfeathers down your throat!?"

Temperance recalled someone explaining how harpies only spoke in insults and threats. Perhaps Jora was hoping to spar verbally with Belletia, if only to buy a little time. Indeed, Temperance could sense Jora kept nudging backwards.

However, Belletia remained eerily silent, not taking Jora's bait. The harpy just stared over at Crisis, as if waiting for something. Temperance could see Crisis when she craned her neck to look past Jora's hand. Crisis looked dumbfounded as well, but then got over her confusion. The wagons still tucked underneath her arms, Crisis lurched forward to lash out with her tail.

Belletia sprang up, then hovered above them for a moment. As the harpy gazed down at them, Temperance noticed something odd. Before, Belletia's eyes were a piercing green, yet her pupils had a faint, orange tint. Now, that green brilliance seemed dulled, and the sclera of her eyes also had a cloudy, orange veneer.

Crisis suddenly let out a warning. "Jora, there's another harpy coming!" Temperance could sense Jora turning her head, and in the next instant, the giantess's held reflexively shot out. A harpy dove right at Jora, aiming to divebomb and ram her. She was too swift, and the harpy tackled Jora to the ground, throwing her human companions high into the air.

"I got them!" came a sharp cry. It wasn't long, thankfully, before Exona swooped in and caught the pair. She eased them down to the ground.

"Thanks for the save, Exona, but I think the feathers haven't stopped flying yet," said Booth, pointing behind the fairy. They could make out more harpies closing in, hovering in the night sky.

And still, not a single one of them threw any insults. Their trademark vituperation…it was nowhere to be heard. The harpies' silence made their predicament all the more frightening. Their faces shone in the darkness…stony, devoid of emotion, their eyes a cloudy orange…

"Whoever Zycra saw with those harpies, as if training them to follow orders…I think we're about to see the fruits of their labor," said Temperance, unable to mask her fear.

"I think you're right. And me without that Vishmitali," muttered Exona. "Booth, Dr. Brennan, try to find some cover. Let your intern do the heavy lifting."

With that, Exona shot up while enlarging herself. The harpies dove, and Exona tackled one just as she reached her maximum size. Jora placed herself in front of where Exona brought them down, doing her best to drive off approaching harpies, while Crisis kept trying to bludgeon them with her tail, still clutching the wagons tightly.

Temperance and Booth were so transfixed by the fight, at first they didn't realize Jora and Crisis were being driven back, until they were only a few dozen yards away. The rush of air as Crisis's tail soared over them snapped the pair out of their torpor. They turned and ran for what looked like large tree roots that could provide cover.

But suddenly, Jora's foot slammed down a few yards in front of them. There was a loud "OOOF!" and her foot skidded back, only for huge talons to come crashing down in their place. Looking up, Temperance saw that the harpy had headbutted Jora, pinning her against a tree. She seemed oblivious to prey skittering about below. Booth and Temperance darted past her gigantic talons and dove under some outstretched roots, which would hopefully conceal them.

"Strange. None of the harpies seem particularly eager to have us for dinner," said Booth as they peered out for their cover. Jora had shoved the harpy back, and delivered a backhand that rang in their ears.

"But if these harpies aren't after a meal, why risk picking another fight with Crisis?" Temperance wondered.

Temperance could see several harpies fluttering high overhead, while Exona darted in and out, landing a quick kick or a punch before flying off. Her hit-and-run tactics seemed to keep them occupied. But one harpy ducked under Exona's lunging punch and dove at Crisis while her back was turned. The harpy latched onto Crisis for a moment, but the naga swiftly got over her shock and shook her off.

"Wait a minute, the way that harpy tackled Crisis… Maybe I'm looking too much into this, but it reminds me of a lineman trying to force a fumble," said Booth.

Temperance looked over to Crisis, who still had the wagons under her arms. "Booth…I think you're right! These harpies aren't after us, they're after the wagons!"

Jora's forelegs swept across their field of vision as she tried to force another harpy back. A scream for Jora let them know it wasn't going well. "Great, these are definitely the same harpies that Zycra saw. Any idea how we can warn them without getting mashed?" asked Booth.

Just then, Exona's back hit the ground hard, and the fairy let out a shriek of pain. Wings were a fairy's biggest weakness, that much Temperance understood about them. And now, with their air support grounded, several harpies dove at Crisis. She forced off the first wave with her tail, but two tackled her from behind, finally forcing Crisis to relinquish her grip on the wagons.

Temperance saw the horrified look on Crisis's face as she hit the ground hard, the wagons tumbling away. Crisis shook off the harpies and lunged for the wagons, but Belletia now reemerged. She fluttered down and scooped up the wagons in her talons, just before Crisis could reach them.

"_NO!_ Dr. Brennan needs those!" Crisis roared, leaping up after Belletia as she ascended. Crisis grabbed Belletia by her ankles, pulling her back down. But several harpies were closing in.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Melany leaned back against the tree trunk, relaxing as she fidgeted with her captives. Her fingers lightly brushed against the hapless nekos as they tumbled over each other in her hands. After storming out of the Giant Tree, Melany decided to check all of her traps. Perhaps a good meal would soothe her nerves, she reasoned.

However, in the hours that passed, all of her deviously-hidden traps…were unsprung! No nets full of yummy humans and nekos, no cages packed with pleading little morsels…nothing! Only now, well after nightfall and with the trap furthest from the Fairy Kingdom (somewhere along the banks of the Shard River), did Melany finally have some decent food. Three mouth-watering nekos, dangling helplessly from a tree in one of her nets. Nekos sometimes moved about at night, thinking they were better equipped than humans to avoid the jungle's dangers.

Perhaps so. But there was no way to prepare for the ingenious traps of a true inventor. And hardly any prey got the chance to learn from the mistake.

As usual, her neko captives were spluttering pleas and occasionally curses. Melany continued to toy with them, wondering what sort of games she could play. All three were male, so perhaps she could give them some going-away presents they would never forget. Melany smiled devilishly before licking her lips. Yes, her sour mood from earlier today was swiftly evaporating.

She brought the nekos closer, determined to show these neko boys what else her mouth was good for…

Playful little licks, soft kisses…oh Melany would make sure those neko boys would have the time of their lives before they went on the wildest ride: a slide down her gullet into her 'ultimate trap.'

But just as the nekos were a few feet away from Melany's lips, she heard a resounding "_NO!_" cut through the night air. There were some fainter words after that…which suspiciously sounded like 'Dr. Brennan'…

"What in the…our human investigator, out here right now?" Melany thought aloud, oblivious to the nekos flinching from her hot breath. Also, Melany's mind was still a little foggy due to hunger, but it wasn't long before she placed the voice.

"Crisis!? Oh dearie me, neither you or our new human friend could stay out of trouble, eh?" Melany said with a sigh. Looking down at her captives, Melany said, "Sorry boys, I really wanted to make our night together more…intimate. But it sounds like I'm needed." The nekos shivered in her hand. Shrugging her shoulders, Melany popped one into her mouth. As she fluttered upward, rising above the treetops, Melany took a moment to savor his taste before swallowing. Then she took off in the direction of Crisis's voice. She swallowed the last two at the same time, having the feeling there wouldn't be time to properly enjoy the rest of her dinner.

Melany realized she couldn't have been more right. After clearing a row of trees, Melany got a glimpse of a wide-open field below. Harpies were, to put it simply, everywhere. Exona was grounded, her wings obviously injured from the way she was hunched over. Jora was closer to some trees, trying to fend off advancing harpies but barely succeeding. And their human partners…nowhere to be seen. Melany knew how important those humans were. Hopefully she wasn't too late…

At last, Melany spotted Crisis. She was grabbing the ankles of that annoying purple-haired harpy, who hung onto something with both sets of talons. Several harpies tackled her from behind, and the purple-haired harpy wrested herself free.

Apparently, the harpies had no further interest in Crisis. The ones that tackled Crisis swiftly ascended, and the purple-haired one was about to join them.

Melany wasn't quite sure what was going on, but she knew she had to act. Whatever that harpy was trying to escape with, it had to be important. Melany darted across the treetops and tackled that one harpy from behind. She brought an arm up under one wing, then twisted it. This would do a number on the harpy's shoulder joint socket, Melany knew. And just as Melany hoped, the harpy dropped one of the…whatever they were.

The purple-haired harpy was only stunned for a moment. It was weird…harpies were quite mouthy, but she didn't even scream in pain. The harpy twirled around in midair, throwing Melany off, then continued her ascent. But her shoulder injury…blocking out the pain took effort. It would slow the harpy down considerably.

As Melany watched the harpy hobble along as she made her getaway, Crisis called out to her from below. "MELANY!? I have no idea how we were lucky enough to have you around, but you've GOT to go after Belletia! She's got the other wagon!"

Melany looked down to Crisis, puzzled. "A…wagon? Those things humans sometimes use to carry stuff through the jungle? Why do we need that?"

"Dr. Brennan needs it!" cried Crisis. "She went to Negav and got the bodies of those dead humans! She needs them all to figure out who killed Shandra."

Melany looked back to the purple-haired harpy, still visible over the horizon, but barely. "B-B-But…I thought you called Brennan's name because something was after her. Where is she?"

"Hiding somewhere around here. We'll find her, don't worry," snapped Jora. She was sporting a few gashes from harpy talons. Nothing life-threatening, but the trek back to the Giant Tree would certainly be hellish now. "Right now, you've got to chase that harpy down! You injured her, so maybe you can catch up."

Melany looked back up. The harpy was almost out of sight. Melany grumbled to herself. After what Brennan's friends pulled on her today, she wasn't exactly eager to go chasing after harpies on her behalf. But if it meant getting them closer to solving the mystery of Shandra's death…

"Fine. I'm on it," Melany growled, flying off after Belletia.

As luck would have it, Jora was right. Normally, a harpy could fly circles around a fairy, as the latter's wings were better suited for maneuverability, not speed. But now, that shoulder injury was hampering Belletia. It wasn't long before the harpy was back in her sights, and slowly but surely, Melany was gaining.

All of a sudden, Melany became aware of a light thumping in her stomach. Those cute little nekos were still alive and kicking, no doubt jostled by her chasing around a harpy. Melany impatiently patted her belly. "Hey, quiet in there! I've got a harpy to chase down. All your kicking and punching is making me queasy!"

Melany returned her attention to Belletia. Yes, she was getting closer. A couple miles or so now, from a human's perspective. If Melany could keep this up, she could overtake Belletia in a few minutes, and…

Suddenly, Melany felt queasy again, and it had nothing to do with her feisty little neko treats. Melany wondered what was going on, but then she looked past Belletia and gasped in horror.

It looked like Belletia was flying right toward the northernmost edge of Nekomura. And the harpy, injured though she was, kept up a constant speed.

The closer Melany got, however…

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Felarya character credits:

Crisis, Anna Demorah, Temi, Léa, Lily, Belletia, Melany, Subeta, Aya, Frerik Mezzus, Alastazia Lesona and Zil belong to Karbo

Milly, Isham, Elia, Calina, Lucilya, Yemic, Jissy, Roshan, Ajab and Pal Sebrit belong to FrenchSnack

Jora Fenderen, Jade and Tanny belong to Ravana3K

Remus vir Patstriker and Xanthe belong to NickInAmerica

Katrika and Velvet belong to Zoekin3

Milia Moonlieth and Zycra Zordford belong to vaderaz

Seliky Serela belongs to kikijonson

Fiona belongs to rcs169

Noxcia belongs to turboman500

Kai Roga Mayin belongs to JiroKatsu

Exona, General Garrardo and Shandra belong to yours truly, Grey-X


	9. The Enemy of an Enemy

Dynamic Equilibrium

a Bones/Felarya crossover

Chapter 9: The Enemy of an Enemy

6-30-2013

by Greyman

Disclaimer: Bones and all related characters are the property of 20th Century Fox. Felarya is the creation and property of Karbo, and all associated characters are the property of their respective creators.

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Fuming, Lily darted through the night air, heading back to the humans' alcove in the Giant Tree. In addition to the box of samples she collected for those imperious investigators, something they called a 'respirator mask' hung from Lily's wrist by its straps. Exona said it would ensure she wouldn't be affected by Feyweed pheromones and lured to her death. It seemed to have worked. Lily passed over several Feyweeds while in the Grove of Carnivorous Plants and never felt the least bit lightheaded.

But the mask offered no protection against sack vines, coulormes, glutongues, grimtrees… Her legs were still sticky and smelly from the tentacles of that one grimtree fruit she barely spotted in time!

To meet her end in the Grove of Carnivorous Plants…her, Lily, the fearsome fairy that packed dozens of plant species on her person like weapons. _THAT _would have been the ultimate shame. Then again, going there to do the bidding of _HUMANS_ wasn't much better.

"This water and dirt better have some use for these meatbags," Lily grumbled as she flew through the foliage, the night sky mirroring her dark mood. It wasn't too hard to find the alcove again at night. For some reason, that kimono-clad hothead Kai was there, as if guarding the entrance. How many more Felaryans would be dragged into this?

Ignoring Kai, Lily walked in, expecting to see the obnoxious worms buzzing about, fiddling with their fancy machines. Lily was still mystified at how Shandra's murderer could be found just by examining water and dirt from all around Felarya. "They've been here well over a day. They better have something for us by now."

Lily stepped forward into the alcove, but it remained hauntingly silent and empty. _What's going on? Did some other predators get to them? Fairies perhaps? Where are…_

"You seem unsettled. Worried about some missing humans, are you? You, Lily the Slayer?" came Kai's teasing voice.

Lily shot a scything look up at the swordsnaga. "I just spent hours dodging sack vines and glutongues in the Grove of Carnivorous Plants. Do _NOT_ trifle with me," barked Lily.

Kai just smiled. "I wouldn't dream of it," she said simply. "But don't worry. They're all at a workstation in the middle of the alcove. Eagerly awaiting your warm companionship, as fate would have it."

Lily turned and stormed away, flipping two birds back at Kai while doing so. _THAT _had to be a human gesture Kai understood well. But predictably, Kai said nothing.

_The humans…anxious to talk to _ME_? Oh, this should be good,_ Lily mused as she made her way deeper into the alcove. It steadily got darker and darker, the light from the human contraptions doing little to pierce the gloom. It was a bit of a shock when Lily suddenly saw Temi step forward, a grave look on her face.

"I'll take those off your hands," Temi said simply, taking the box and mask from Lily. "I know it's been a long day, Lily, but you're not quite done. The Jeffersonians…they found some things you need to hear about."

"Like who killed Shandra, I hope," said Lily sternly.

"They're getting closer," said Temi. "Come on, they're over here."

Lily followed Temi to the alcove's wall. Light from those screens cast glows on four of the humans' faces. The short one with the ugly facial hair, the younger one called 'Sweets', the dark-skinned 'coroner', and the female human that made her think of Vivian for some reason. The way their conniving little faces stood out in the faint light, it reminded her of…

_No, don't think about that,_ Lily told herself. _If I dwell on that, I really will lose control and run them through with my vines._ Out loud, Lily said, "OK, what's so important, I can't rest from frolicking through the Grove of Carnivorous Plants – as per _YOUR_ instructions – before hearing it?"

Camille, the coroner, looked up. "OK, we'll be frank. We need to talk to fairies we know we can trust."

Lily was unaccustomed to being taken by surprise. It was happening with disturbing frequency ever since this 'murder investigation' began.

Her astonished glare must have shocked the humans into silence as well. Sweets broke the silence. "There's two things we've discovered that led us to exercising more caution about who we share information with. First of all, while you were gone, Hodgins, Mezzus and I conducted an experiment with other returning fairies."

Lily's hands clenched into fists. She'd heard blather about experimentation on fairies before. Sweets had about ten seconds to explain himself.

"We ran some tests to see which parts of a fairy's brain were most active in certain conditions. Most importantly, when faced with an imminent threat that provoked a fight-or-flight response," Sweets went on. He then turned the screen around. Lily was dazed by the light for a second. Then she could make out several multicolored pictures of…fairy brains?

"Melany, Lucilya, myself…over a dozen fairies went through the testing," said Temi. "The tests all ended with being faced by a threat that required split-second use of fairy magic to survive."

"As you can see, parts of the occipital lobe and the amygdalae lit up like fireworks. The latter correlates with suddenly facing a dire, traumatic threat. In addition, the very front of the frontal lobes light up. We can only assume that in a fairy's brain, a lot of focus is required for fairy magic, no matter the situation," Sweets went on.

Lily couldn't really follow all this talk about their brains, and wasn't really interested at any rate. She simply stared at the screen. From the images, Lily felt she understood just fine. All the fairies tested…the same parts of the brain lit up each time.

"But here's the interesting part. Mezzus did some magic work on Shandra's brain, and now we have a reading of what parts of her brain lit up right before death," said Hodgins. He punched some buttons on that keyboard. Another readout of a fairy brain appeared. Lily could instantly tell it was very different.

"Completely different parts are the most active," Lily said dully.

Sweets nodded. "The readings from the amygdalae are completely different, and an entirely different part of the frontal lobes are lit up. Namely, the precentral gyrus, along with the somatosensory cortex of the parietal…"

"Sweets, just get to the point," snapped Lily, swiftly losing patience.

Sweets seemed unfazed. "If your brains are truly analogous to ours, then Shandra was focused solely with physical movements and action. And she wasn't using magic at all."

"Which brings us to the other thing we found," added Camille. "It explains _WHY_ the victim wasn't using her magic. She couldn't."

Angela was now punching something in with that keyboard. "Originally, we thought there were two wounds. One to the victim's lower wing, and the other in the midsection that killed her. Not the case."

Lily watched the computer screen. It was some sort of weird model of a fairy, and then a blade appeared and ran the model through. Despite herself, Lily winced, screwing her eyes shut for a moment. But when she looked again, Lily immediately understood, though she again had to fight the instinct to turn away.

"The blade, it went through Shandra's midsection…and pierced her wing at the same time," said Lily, dumbstruck.

"Rendering the victim nearly incapable of accessing her magic, forcing her to fight back physically," said Camille. "But I confirmed the murder weapon cut through several vessels branching from the hepatic portal vein. There was nothing anyone could've done. Whoever our killer is, he or she is no amateur."

"And here's the scary part: the way Shandra's brain shows completely different readings than the fairies we tested points to one inescapable conclusion," said Sweets.

"And that would be?" Lily asked tersely.

"In all likelihood, the victim knew her attacker," was Sweets's simple reply.

Lily stared at the computer model again, wondering just who could've been on the other side of that blade. "So why did you want me, specifically? Surely you don't think _I _killed Shandra!?"

"Of course not. We know it couldn't have been you," said Sweets.

"Damn right it couldn't have been me!" snapped Lily. "Shandra was my friend, and I found her body, and…"

"The victim's body tested negative for the pollen grains of all the plant species Temi says you keep on your person," Hodgins cut in. "So there's no doubt you're clean."

Lily glowered at Hodgins. "I'm still waiting to hear why I'm so important all of a sudden."

The humans glanced at each other for a tense moment. It was Sweets who spoke up. "We have to face the possibility that the killer may not be human. There's a good chance it was another fairy."

Lily stared back at the psychologist, struck dumb with fury and confusion. Fairies did _NOT_ harm their own…not like this!

Sensing what was brewing, Angela added, "We've already got reports back from Booth and Brennan that a fairy called Imkza is involved. She even ordered some slug girl called Velvet to take out Brennan, but thankfully she botched the hit."

"And a succubus called Zycra said she saw fairies working with human soldiers in the Tolmeshal Forest, before she got blindsided and brought here by Kai," Hodgins chimed in.

"And worst of all, we have an eyewitness account of someone who spoke to Shandra, shortly before the murder," said Camille. "From the sound of it, Shandra was in on whatever they're working on, but wanted out. All the evidence so far points to Shandra being killed for fear she'd blow the whistle."

Jora claimed Dr. Brennan and her team would get answers. But Jora gave no guarantee that she would _LIKE_ the answers. It several moments of careful, measured breathing before Lily trusted herself to speak again. "There are other fairies mixed up in this, so be it. I still want to know what I'm needed for."

"It's quite simple. Until we have more information, just about every fairy out there is a potential suspect," said Angela.

"But not you," said Camille. "Out of all the fairies out there, you're one of the few we can trust with this sensitive information. And can trust to watch our backs as we continue the investigation."

These humans were coming to _HER_, the one with a vendetta against their entire species, for help and protection! And Lily was powerless to refuse.

She couldn't help but laugh at the absurd irony.

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Fortunately for Milia, the jetbike she 'borrowed' from the Isolon Fist storehouse came equipped with visual distortion fields as well as noise-canceling magic. Milia knew where her two little schemers were headed: the northern edge of Nekomura, undoubtedly in the range of the northernmost Isolon Eye replica. But the exact location was a mystery. That would necessitate making the most of the jetbike's stealth features.

Predators were no doubt wary of coming so close to Nekomura, but Milia took no chances. She made sure her cloak, specially designed to cancel out her scent, was fastened tightly. It would keep the predators with the keenest senses off her back, and make sure her scent didn't give her away to any nekos. Nekos could be in on this plot too.

_Oh, the days when it was only those ravenous monsters the people of Negav had to evade, not the ones supposed to be their allies,_ Milia mused as her jetbike crept along, a few dozen feet off the ground. Staying under the canopies, Milia's gaze swept the forest floor. Even if the Magiocrat aide and the rogue Vishmital also came by jetbike, Milia surely left Negav early enough to give herself wiggle room. _They're out here for that late-night rendezvous. But where are they going, and who are they so anxious to meet?_

At long last, there was an area below unobscured by any canopies, letting moonlight shine down. Even at her present height, Milia could make out two fresh set of tracks, one of which belonged to someone marching along in a self-absorbed, orderly fashion. _Some habits are hard to shake, aren't they, my big Vishmital friend?_

As she stared down at the ground, Milia briefly wondered if this was how predators saw the world. Looking down from these heights, looking for telltale signs of humans and nekos…

Milia shook her head. It was important to understand the mindset of the enemy, sure. But Milia did not care to see things from a predator's perspective. If it was a perspective that led one to gleefully gobble up sentient beings, Milly would happily stay blissfully ignorant.

At any rate, now was not the time for such curiosities. _Besides, this time, my enemies aren't out to make a meal of me,_ Milia realized. She was starting to wonder if facing off against a few giant nagas or harpies would be preferable to what she might find.

Milia guided the jetbike back down to ground level. The jetbike nudged forward along the forest floor, a slug girl's crawl when considering the vehicle's top speed. Machines were still new to Milia. Even if the jetbike's stealth features were magical in nature, she didn't want to put too much faith in them. One didn't survive in the Isolon Fist by being lax.

Then, just as her patience began to ebb, Milia spotted some movement about thirty yards ahead. She then caught the flash of the Vishmital's lustrous bevor. She had them.

But gathering evidence to take back to her superiors was Milia's true goal. She carefully set the jetbike down and powered down its engines, then took out the other machinery she brought from under the seat.

_A directional mic and some sort of electronic binoculars with a camera built-in. _Milia held the surveillance gear in her hands for a moment. Upon first coming to Negav, the technology that wove its way into a society that banked on magic…Milia was taken aback at first. Even a simple flashlight mystified her! Her time in the Isolon Fist, however, taught her about some of the more useful tools.

Her gear in hand, Milia crept toward where her quarry was to meet these other conspirators. Moving stealthily in the jungle was second-nature by now. Milia was confident even Crisis would have a hard time hearing her. Still, despite the practiced ease, Milia felt anxious. Was the prospect of finding out something she'd rather not know affecting her more than she'd care to admit?

She finally spotted another faint flash of navy blue ahead. A few more moments, and Milia saw it again. The Vishmital wasn't going anywhere. Milia situated herself between two bushes, careful not to make the slightest sound, and lay prone in the grass. After fastening the earpieces from the directional mic, Milia took aim.

At once, words jumped out at Milia's eardrums with frightening clarity. "Things are moving far too quickly!" hissed a voice. The directional mic was so sensitive, Milia caught the low, throaty growl, almost a purr. This was a male neko. "After all these years of carefully laying these plans, all these disparate factions…some in our alliance are being far too reckless!"

"I'm forced to agree," came another voice, probably a female neko. "It's hard to argue otherwise after Shandra's death."

"And worse, I feel we of Nekomura will bear the brunt of the fallout if this fails!" snapped the first neko. "We have sacrificed much to do our part in this alliance. But sometimes, I wonder if we've swapped one oppressor putting their boots to nekos' necks for another!"

"And believe it or not, some of us in Negav empathize!" snapped another voice. The aide! Milia checked to make sure the mic was recording everything. "Some of us are sick of the Magiocrats throwing their weight around with impunity."

Any sympathy Milia may have had for the aide went out the window. Her loyalty was to the Isolon Fist and the Ps'isol Magiocrats, plain and simple. The former gave her life purpose, and the latter, well, ensured she had a home to go to, thanks to the Isolon Eye. And the Isolon Eye knockoffs that protected these nekos… Sure, demanding a fee for the recharges may have been a bit much, as were some of the laws making life in Negav itself difficult for nekos. But to be so openly treasonous!?

"Some of us are equally disgusted with the constant scheming between the Magiocrats and my fellow Vishmitals," said the burly Vishmital that Milia had clobbered. "It's gone on so long, the perverse nature of the Magiocrats has infected my leadership. Diplomacy is one thing, but what Magiocrats like Lesona practice is something else. We seek to rebuild our former glory…but not like this. Wherever we Vishmitals go, it seems some form of conflict from within thwarts our march to recovery. And yet, there must be this one final betrayal among us, otherwise the Vishmitals will have no real place in Felarya."

"You, and all the Vishmitals like you, will always have a place with us, Rnokoll," came a new voice. This one sounded female, and far more cheery than anyone else who had spoken. Yet there was a chilly edge. "Your collective goals are in sight, my friends. And I, for one, am ready to make this one final leap to ensure you all get what you want."

There was a pause. Milia took the time to use the binoculars. Zooming in, she saw a gaggle of nekos several dozen yards away, along with the armored back of that Vishmital and the aide's white robes. But this other female was nowhere to be seen, possibly obscured by the tree to Rnokoll's right.

"Still, our neko allies have a point," said Rnokoll. "There are too many loose ends as we move to this final phase."

"Don't I know it," said the cheery voice. "We thought that after blindsiding Zycra, it was more prudent to cast a ward that blocked her scent, then wait for the succubus to come to her senses. Too much trouble would've come if a demoness from Hell went missing permanently. But wouldn't you know it, it faded just as Crisis came sniffing around."

"And what of this forensic anthropologist? This…Dr. Temperance Brennan?" demanded Rnokoll.

There was a sigh, and then that cheery voice again. "She survived Velvet's attack, though that isn't surprising. Then she made it all the way to Negav, and left with wagons carrying Negav's murder victims."

"She _WHAT_!?" roared Rnokoll, aghast. "Bad enough we had to mostly pick my fellow Vishmitals for this plan to work…"

"But if it's true this human can find anything she wants from looking at bones…" added that male neko.

"Already being taken care of," said that grating, happy voice. "Our last field test with the harpies was a success, and the big guy himself is directing them to intercept Crisis and company. Besides, whether Crisis gets those bodies back to the Giant Tree or not…it doesn't matter. They won't realize how badly they're being played, just like the Ps'isol Magiocrats are utterly in the dark."

Milia's mind went back to Negav at dusk, back to that caravan. That woman in the first wagon with that fairy…_THAT_ must be this forensic anthropologist they were worried about! _Someone who can get the dead to cough up secrets, by examining bones? Where did this Dr. Brennan come from? And what's she doing with _CRISIS_!?_

"It shows their desperation, handing those bodies over to a complete stranger in league with Crisis," said the aide. "Good. Desperate people make more mistakes. On top of that…"

There was another pause. At first, Milia was afraid the mic was broken. But then, the cheery woman said, "Hey Amj, what is it?"

"Nothing, just a stray thought," said the aide. "I was pouring over some books back in the University of Magic today, going over elemental fairies. Change the hair and eye color, and you're the spitting image of Mystiniel."

Another pause, followed by a laugh. "As you know, we have exactly zero storm sprites among our happy little group. And zero dusk nymphs, unfortunately. As for other types of elementals…"

"Yes, that power will be invaluable," said Rnokoll.

"Don't forget some of our subtler talents," said that grating voice. "I've dedicated over two years to this particular assignment. Studying my target's mannerisms, movements, thought process, everything. Oh, it'll be so gratifying when it's time to complete this hunt. This must be the longest hunt on record for a Felaryan predator!"

And then, another figure finally stepped out into view. Milia nearly dropped the binoculars out of shock.

There, standing among the nekos and the Negavians she tailed, still in the range of one of Nekomura's Eyes, yet totally unaffected…was a fairy.

Little fat antennae, short black hair, and a sharp blue-eyed stare, she strode among her fellow conspirators. And the way she carried herself… Most fairies had a deceiving air of innocence. This fairy maintained no such illusions. She had an imperious air about her, despite her earlier claims about working only for her friends' benefit.

Milia lay there, shaking with fury, grateful this traitorous bunch was well out of reach. Not only could giving herself away spell doom, she had to keep recording. The more they talked, the sooner they would spill their future plans. Something incriminating…_ANYTHING_! The Magiocrats had to hear about this!

"The time is coming, Imkza. All of you, you need not worry. I've waited almost my whole life for this, and there is no way I will let this chance slip away. The chess pieces are aligning. The queen piece is days from being ours. And weeks from now, we shall check the king."

Imkza, Rnokoll, Amj and the nekos turned to this new voice. "So, did our harpy conscripts succeed?" asked Imkza delicately.

"Alas, unexpected intervention from another fairy let Crisis recover one wagon. The other is en route," came the new voice, so deep and baritone it had to be a male's, most likely a human. His voice sounded grave, yet oddly confident at the same time.

"The Vishmital bodies they recovered, at least let me set them to rest properly," said Rnokoll. "The betrayal I made, helping you decide which of my fellow warriors would never work with us… Let me atone for my part in this."

"Of course, Rnokoll, of course. And the bodies Dr. Brennan will strip to the bone…you will eventually have those, too," said the voice reassuringly. "Let the anthropologist poke and prod those bones all she likes. It matters not. One way or another, we will turn her efforts to our advantage. Even if she discovers who felt the need to silence Shandra, she'll be no help to the Ps'isol Magiocrats in avoiding what's coming."

At last, this mysterious ringleader stepped into view. A tall, muscular man with red hair cut impossibly short. An odd burn mark went down the right side of his face. He turned his head, and Milia saw scars on his neck and left temple. When he smiled at his co-conspirators, there was genuine warmth. Yet somehow, the look in his eyes, the way he carried himself… He gave Milia a worse vibe than his pet fairy Imkza.

He wore some sort of dark-grey soldier's uniform, making him blend into the forest's oppressive darkness. And on his shoulders…some sort of emblem. Four blue squares arranged into a bigger square, and small triangles pointing outward positioned over the gaps between squares…

Milia's eyes widened even more. "The Delurans," she breathed in a hushed whisper. The reclusive military group that set up shop far northwest of Negav? Other than seeking to recruit neko scouts, the Delurans hardly ever interacted with other groups, from what Milia understood.

"So it's official. There's an entire flock of harpies under your control, General," said Imkza. "Will we soon proceed with the next phase?"

"Oh most certainly. We need only wait for the two other targeted predators to succumb to what my superiors foolishly shelved years ago. Then we make our moves," said this Deluran general.

Milia's mind was reeling. Vishmitals, servants of the Magiocrats, nekos, and even these Delurans…all conspiring against their leaders in some way or another? And working with a _FAIRY_!?

Whatever these renegades' endgame was, one of their goals was clear: the overthrow of the Ps'isol Magiocrats. _Not on my watch,_ Milia thought defiantly. _Let's see if these backstabbers spill any more secrets, and then I can…_

Milia's heart leapt when she saw the Deluran general stiffen. He glanced about wildly, more than once in Milia's direction. Despite the distance, she felt his eyes bore right through her binoculars.

"General, what's wrong?" asked Imkza, her concern genuine.

"Everyone, stay sharp," said the general. "We are not alone tonight."

Now Milia's heart was pounding. How could this guy have sensed her presence from so far away?

"He's right," said one of the nekos. "Whoever's out there is wearing something that masks scents, and is strategically placed to avoid our noses. But there's another human out there somewhere."

"Now that you mention it, I think I feel some powerful magic," added Imkza. "Whoever's out there is good of suppressing it. Other fairies could be duped…but not everyone's favorite fairy agent Imkza!"

It was now officially time to leave. Milia carefully crawled backward, avoiding making even the smallest sound. Once she was out from under the bushes, she sprang up and darted for her jetbike. A few more yards, and she would make it. Milia shoved the mic and binoculars into her cloaks, fastening them to her uniform's belt. She _HAD_ to get that recording to the Ps'isol Magiocrats! With this proof, they would surely…

A thunderous crash blasted Milia off her feet. She skidded along in the grass, tumbling over painfully. When she came to a halt, she sprang to her feet and looked ahead. The jetbike…it was now a flattened pile of mangled metal. _Oh no…there's goes two years' pay._

Milia frantically looked around for what totaled her jetbike, but when she looked back ahead, she noticed something odd. What had just looked like oppressive darkness before her, now she saw…a faint lustrous glint? And something akin to…a scale pattern!?

It hit her like a swarm of bloodclaw apes: a giant naga. One with scales that were pitch black.

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Melany felt ready to throw up whatever was left of those nekos. She could only be in the outer fringes of that Isolon Eye replica, yet she could barely see and fly straight!

And that purple-haired harpy kept going, showing no ill effects whatsoever.

Her heart hammering and breathing ragged, Melany tried to think. Not an easy task when it felt like her brain was turning to jelly. _My brain…hah! Wouldn't that Hodgins fellow love to see what lobes light up now!_ Melany thought, laughing to herself.

As her thoughts drifted back to the human investigators, inspiration suddenly struck. With tremendous effort, Melany shrank herself down to human proportions. _There. I'll be less affected by that Eye, plus won't that mean less mass I have to move? That's how Brennan would see it, right?_ Melany wondered.

For the moment, her plan seemed to be working. The queasiness ebbed somewhat, and flight took less effort. With renewed determination, Melany pushed onward, closing the gap between herself and Belletia.

However, soon the queasiness intensified again, and swiftly became a throbbing in her skull. Only sheer willpower let Melany keep after Belletia. And as the throbbing became more and more hellish, Melany knew even the force of _HER_ stubborn will would soon fail…

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Gulping, Milia looked up. Whoever this naga was, the darkness still helped to obscure her, despite her massive size. This one seemed to wear clothes, perhaps a jacket as dark as her scales. Craning her neck up more, Milia saw a cascade of long, bleach-blond hair that would have stood out even if no moon had been out.

But that wasn't all that stood out. Darkness still shrouded the naga's face, or it would have been, had another source of light not illuminated it. She seemed to have some sort of headband that threw out faint light, highlighting her face. Sharp, angular features and a heavy-set jaw. But the most chilling thing was her eyes, focused right down at Milia. No irises, no sclera, just blackness. An empty void.

Milia had never seen a naga like this, and it was enough to paralyze her with shock, but only for a moment. Training and instinct swiftly took over. In one swift motion, Milia threw off her cloak and drew her weapon. An extendable staff, with a glaive-like bladed edge that housed a pulsating, oval sapphire.

The naga did not move, opting to keep glaring down at Milia. That was a mistake. All it would take was a few seconds, and Milia could summon a torrent large enough to…

"Paquxa's cornered our visitor! An Isolon Fist battlemage, eh? I got this!" came Imkza's imperious cry. The fairy shot out of the darkness like a missile. Acting on instinct, Milia redirected the water she had conjured at Imkza. Unable to redirect her momentum in time, the water blast swallowed Imkza up and slammed her into a tree.

But Imkza wasn't alone. At least a dozen nekos emerged from the surrounding foliage, ready to pounce on Milia. Their faces made it plain: they were itching to dish out payback against the Magiocrats' vanguard.

As always, Milia was determined to master her fear, but being surrounded by hostile nekos and a giant naga didn't make it easy.

The naga called Paquxa remained eerily motionless, staring down at Milia intently. Suddenly, she spoke. The chilling voice of an executioner, but which masked a burning passion that drove her. "This battlemage is strong. A suitable challenge. I shall…"

"That will not be necessary, Paquxa," came that general's voice. "Our young member of the Isolon Fist just downed a lieutenant and close friend. I will deal with this battlemage myself."

Milia couldn't see anything in those empty, black eyes, but somehow sensed disappointment. "As you wish, General Garrardo."

Milia looked back down to ground level. General Garrardo burst out of the foliage, brandishing a machine gun. Thankfully, Milia had been prepared to conjure more water. It formed in front of her and froze, creating an ice barrier. Milia was shielded from the gunfire, but that was one powerful weapon. Her ice shield barely held, nearly getting shredded to powder.

Over the gunfire, Milia heard Garrardo keep charging. Not missing a beat, he leapt over the icy barrier and tackled Milia to the ground. Milia quickly threw him off and sprang back up, staff at the ready. All the while, that naga just watched intently…

Milia knocked Garrardo's gun away with her staff, then made quick swipes with the bladed end, forcing him back. It was all a distraction, however, as Milia concentrated on getting more water to conjure. Enough to blast the general and all his neko lackeys.

However, Garrardo seemed to sense what Milia planned. As Milia slashed at him again, he actually caught the bladed end with his bare hands. He was even stronger than he looked, for he whirled the staff around while Milia held on, slamming her into the ground.

Surprise and shock got the better of Milia for a moment, but that was all. And she was still ready to summon water. It formed and flowed around her like a living thing, then Milia willed jets of it to lash out at the Deluran general. But Garrardo was not only stronger than he looked, but faster. He jumped, swerved, and dodged to evade all the deadly streams. Instead of going for his gun, he edged ever nearer.

Then, while only a few yards away, Garrardo caught Milia off-guard again. He waved his hands, and suddenly, a burst blinding light erupted in the gloomy forest. The suddenness shocked Milia, but not as much as how a Deluran just used _MAGIC_. _I thought Delurans favored machines! That's basic stuff, but who _taught _him!?_

With that brief opening, Garrardo moved in. Milia's vision cleared just in time to see Garrardo rush in with his arm reared back. Milia easily deflected the blow, then brought up one leg, as if to kick him. It was a feint, however, and that gave Milia an opening for a jumping kick, striking Garrardo square in the face.

The general reeled back, but swiftly advanced again. Milia was put on the defensive, barely able to block all his punches and kicks. Garrardo seemed to glide through the darkness, his feet effortlessly going over the ground as if skating on ice. It could not be plainer that this man was no brainless bruiser, like those Vishmitals in the bar.

But it didn't matter. Milia was far from helpless. This was giving her ample time to prepare even more water for conjuring, enough to even create ice shards to run through that naga's empty eyes! A few more seconds, and…

So smooth and fluid were Garrardo's movements, Milia had no time to react. Garrardo reached to his belt for something. Milia tensed, ready to go ahead and pummel him with water, expecting another gun. Water flowed around her, and Milia launched thin, ropelike tendrils at Garrardo to whip and ensnare him.

Right before Garrardo was bound by the serpentine water flow, he flung some sort of fine powder at Milia. Milia tried to hold her breath, but she had already inhaled some of…whatever it was.

For the moment, it didn't seem to be affecting her. _Good. I'll worry about it later. In a second, I'll have enough water ready to peel off that naga's face! Then those nekos will back off if they know what's good for them, and…_

Just as Milia dared to hope she'd emerge triumphant, everything fell apart. One second, General Garrardo was her prisoner…the next, all the water Milia was controlling fell, splashing all over the both of them.

"What in…what's going on!?" Milia demanded, backing away from Garrardo. She concentrated, trying to will the water to ensnare Garrardo again, but the ground simply soaked it up.

"What's going on, little battlemage, is…oh forget it. I'm blank tonight," spat Imkza. Milia whirled around, only to see the fairy's elbow smashing into her face. Imkza grabbed her staff, then swung Milia around, hurling the battlemage down against a tree stump.

Garrardo and Imkza stood over Milia, and she could see nekos hanging behind in the foliage. Her mind was racing, wondering why she couldn't use her magic. She felt fine otherwise, but her magic…she simply couldn't feel it, access it…

Garrardo took a step forward. Milia raised her staff, but Garrardo grabbed it just under the blade, pointing it away from him. Blood from his cut palms dribbled down the staff. "For now, Milia, the game is over. There may yet be something to gain from a little diplomacy."

"Diplomacy!?" Milia spat with a barking laugh. "You bring a naga and a fairy into Nekomura, conspire against my leaders... _WHY_!? Why's a Deluran so obsessed with invading Negav, and…wait, how'd you know my name!?"

Garrardo smiled. "I am a soldier. It's my job to know the opposition, and any possible recruits," he calmly replied. "I've had access to the files of most active Isolon Fist members, including yours. Young and headstrong, but talented and devoted, with a strong sense of justice. That last bit…that's why I feel there may be some hope for you."

"You speak of justice, yet you blithely talked of picking off Vishmitals to spark unrest in Negav. You're clearly trying to weaken Negav from within," Milia snarled. "Again, why? What have the Magiocrats done to you?"

"To me? Nothing. To many of my compatriots? A great deal," said Garrardo. "And in your heart, you know they have legitimate grievances against Lesona and her bunch."

Lilia glowered at Garrardo as she tried to wrest her staff away. "Whatever the Magiocrats' faults, they created the Isolon Eye. They've given thousands of humans in Felarya a chance…"

"And what of non-humans our size that also want a fair shot, hmm? Or what about those humans in Felarya that don't have the resources to really make it in Negav?" Garrardo asked, his voice suddenly terse. "Making the Isolon Eye, and then only worrying about the power and influence it brings…for some, the Eye's promise isn't enough."

"Say whatever you wish of the Magiocrats. But without them and the Eye, Negav would fall," spat Milia.

"Fall without the Isolon Eye. Oh the irony," laughed Garrardo. Their eyes locked for a few moments, but then Garrardo abruptly turned away. He pushed down on the staff, jolting Milia. She was ready to spring up, but a cold glare from Imkza froze her in place.

"So much for a new recruit," said Garrardo as he strode away, his voice laden with regret.

"What do we do with her?" asked Imkza. "She obviously overheard a great deal. We can't let her get back to Negav."

"And Rnokoll was right about too many loose ends. We shouldn't push our luck any more than we have to when Dr. Temperance Brennan is involved," said Garrardo. "I'm afraid there's only one way to ensure a missing battlemage doesn't come back to haunt us. Paquxa, could you…"

There was a thunderous belch that was probably heard miles away. "I don't think so," came the naga's stern voice. "After months without eating any humans, and I get an assignment that demands I eat no less than thirty-seven at once? Sorry, no more are passing my lips today, General. I'm not Crisis. My stomach couldn't take it."

Garrardo simply sighed. "Very well, Paquxa. Imkza, I suppose it's up to you."

Imkza looked down at Milia again, making her shudder. Amazingly, that frosty imperiousness melted away for a moment, and genuine reluctance seeped through. "I don't think that's a good idea either. I've gone, well, a few years. And to risk starting that habit again in the range of an Eye replica?"

Now it was Milia's turn to sigh, hers being one of relief. "If that's how you feel Imkza, then I won't ask you either," said Garrardo nonchalantly, his back turned to them.

_Good. They don't know what to do with me,_ Milia thought, feeling hopeful. _Maybe whatever's nullifying my magic will wear off soon, and…_

"Shrink her anyway. Surely one of the nekos will be anxious to taste Isolon Fist," said Garrardo, his voice carrying the weight of an executioner's axe.

Milia's eyes widened with terror. Imkza took a step closer, her expression still regretful, but that icy arrogance crept back. "Sorry, Milia. It's nothing personal. But orders are orders. You understand…"

The fairy now stood over Milia. Milia's insides froze as Imkza raised a hand, her fingers outstretched. The sparkle of fairy magic was already flaring at her fingertips. She screwed her eyes shut, not wanting to see the world get too impossibly big for her. _After everything I survived in the Isolon Fist…I get shrunk down by a vegetarian fairy to be fed to a people the Magiocrats help protect!?_ she thought, cursing her fate.

A loud, high-pitched scream from above snapped Milia back to attention. She turned to the source, only for both her and Imkza get slammed by…something. They skidded along the forest floor, back into the trees.

Milia untangled herself from whatever propelled them deeper into the forest. Her relief swiftly evaporated when she discovered it was another fairy. _Hold on…antlers, pink skin, blue hair. You can't be serious…_ It was Melany, one of the most voracious fairies in existence.

Melany scrambled to her feet, wobbly, her breathing ragged. "Th-th-that harpy. Lost her. G-G-Got to find the h-h-harpy…" she stammered, barely able to stand. Imkza was unaffected by the nekos' Eye replica, but Melany was another matter.

The trapper fairy turned and saw Imkza. "I-I-Imkza? A-After all these years, you're back in these parts? Where'd you go? Wh-what're you…" Her voice trailed off. Melany surely noticed how Imkza wasn't suffering any ill-effects from the Eye replica, and suspected she wasn't on her side. Imkza raised a hand to strike…

_I can't believe I'm doing this for a fairy,_ Milia fumed inwardly. She clutched her staff, dashed past Melany, and slashed. Imkza ducked in time to avoid losing her head, but Milia twirled around and sank the butt end into her stomach.

That only bought a few seconds. Milia could hear nekos bursting through the foliage, howling for her blood. An ominous scraping also told her that Paquxa was on the move.

Again, Milia simply took action, despite the shock and disgust over what circumstances forced her to do. Grabbing Melany's wrist, she ran and dragged the ailing fairy with her. It was a wonder Melany could keep on her feet at all.

Thinking fast, Milia told her, "Imkza and that Deluran general back there…they were controlling that harpy you were chasing. They wanted to get rid of those bodies, the evidence. I know you did that for Crisis and someone called Dr. Brennan. And I've got information they'll surely want. But unless you get us out of here, Melany, it dies with me!"

Escaping from these renegades, only to be delivered to _CRISIS_!? A desperate hope, certainly, but it was the only hope Milia could cling to.

Some smaller trees could be heard snapping behind them. Paquxa was moving in. "Melany, if you're going to do anything, you must do it n-"

Milia stopped dead as she saw the world expand around her. Trees, rocks, they were all ballooning in size. Looking over her shoulder fearfully, she saw Melany shrink along with her. The fairy wrapped her arms around the battlemage and took off. She flew low along the forest floor as they kept shrinking, just as some nekos came running a couple dozen yards behind them. The nekos could no longer see them, but in a few seconds, they'd probably sniff them out.

Melany must've realized this, too. "I see a place we can hide. H-H-Hang on," said the fairy. Milia's stomach lurched as the fairy made a sudden turn, flying right into a small hole in the underbrush. Milia felt her feet touch solid ground, but at her current size, the soil felt like huge, crumbly rocks.

Now it was Melany's turn to grab Milia's wrist and lead them. At her minimum size, she seemed less affected by the Eye replica. She led them deeper into the little tunnel. Strangely, it got brighter. Some bioluminescent fungus on the plant roots were giving off a blue glow.

Melany sat down on a root to catch her breath. Size-shifting under these conditions was no doubt taxing. Milia remained standing, eyeing the fairy warily. She was without her magic and only about three inches tall, and she had no idea which condition would last longer.

After steadying her breathing, Melany broke the silence. "So, you knew about the harpy I was chasing…how?" she demanded, sounding a little suspicious.

"I overheard what Imkza's accomplices were saying," said Milia evenly. "Their boss, a Deluran general named Garrardo…he can control those harpies somehow. They're all conspiring against Negav."

"Negav?" repeated Melany. She eyed Milia up and down, as if seeing her for the first time. Hopefully not as a snack.

As if reading her thoughts, Melany said, "Oh, don't be so skittish. There's no way I can eat _ANYTHING _right now. And besides, I'm full from those nekos earlier." Melany belched right then, as if to emphasize that.

"And third, I've got information you want," added Milia vehemently.

Melany glared at her a moment. "Yeah, that. T-T-That's…an Isolon Fist getup, right? What're you doing poking around Nekomura, anyway?"

"Conducting my own investigation," said Milia.

"A murder investigation, perhaps? Then I guess we _ARE_ on the same side," said Melany. "What's that human saying? 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend'?"

Milia's first instinct was to fire back. A fairy…her _FRIEND_!? But then she recalled a finer point of fairy psychology she was taught: the value fairies put on friendship. If Melany truly thought that way…

"So…any ideas for getting out of Nekomura?" Milia asked delicately. "Should we lie low until those nekos back off, then slip out while…"

"Not with that naga out there," Melany cut in. "Didn't you get a good look at her?"

"Not really. Except for that blond hair, she blends into the darkness," said Milia.

"That's because she's a shadow naga," said Melany. "Don't they teach you Isolon Fist types anything?"

Milia glared at Melany venomously. "Of course, but shadow nagas are supposed to be so rare, they don't exist."

"Well, that behemoth of a shadow naga out there definitely exists. I could easily sense that dark power," said Melany. "Not only will that naga have shadow magic, but at night, she'll sense anything above ground that tries to slip away in the dark. Being this tiny won't make a damn bit of difference."

"And then she'll alert the nekos," spat Milia.

"Can't_ YOU_ fight her? Isolon Fist are supposed to be able to rip any predator to bloody shreds."

"As an organized unit, yes. But I'm alone, and their general had some powder that's blocking my magic. Otherwise I would've given Paquxa one _HELL_ of an emergency eye wash, and I wouldn't need you," snapped Milia.

In stark contrast to Milia's vehemence, Melany stared back calmly. From what Milia knew of Melany, that was highly unusual. The Eye replica was affecting the fairy more severely than she'd care to admit.

"And I can't make use of my max size, not this deep in the Eye replica's range," Melany said at length.

"Well, we'd better come up with a plan soon," said Milia. "Garrardo was serious about not leaving any more loose ends. They won't just give up on us."

"Sounds like they've been meticulously planning things for a long, long time. Time to screw with said plans. The solution is doing something they'd never expect from either of us," said Melany with a wicked smirk. That was more like the Melany that Milia was briefed on. And it was unnerving.

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Paquxa idly slithered about, looking down at the ground, but more focused on using her…other senses. No doubt Melany and Milia had formed some truce, and the former shrank the pair to hide somewhere. Possibly underground where there was bioluminescent mold, making them harder to sense.

But it was only a stopgap measure. If Paquxa couldn't sniff them out before sunrise, Imkza or her neko allies would. And if Melany tried to fly them out, even at about three inches tall, Paquxa could sense their trajectory in an instant. Those soldiers she feasted on earlier today…none had stood a chance. Even those that managed to slip away, once they ducked into the shady cover of the forest…that was enough to let Paquxa hone in and stuff her face some more.

It was all a matter of being patient. And if anyone understood the value of patience, it was Paquxa. That was doubtless why she was such an important ally to General Garrardo. His plans had taken decades to lay out, and just now bore fruit. Paquxa was more than happy to aid him, empathizing with his goals, but she had her own, more personal reasons for serving Garrardo's cause.

But for now, it was simply a waiting game. Melany couldn't survive in the Eye replica's range until daybreak, and Milia was too eager to get to her superiors. No, they would surface soon, and…

Suddenly, Paquxa's senses went haywire. _SOMETHING_ was emerging, right behind her!

Paquxa span around, looking on in shock as something erupted from the ground. Something very…blue. It was Milia, rapidly swelling in size! Instead of trying to sneak them out of Nekomura while shrunken, Melany opted for the opposite: enlarge Milia so she could fight their way out!

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Unfortunately for Milia, Melany hadn't exactly briefed her about her plan. Once Milia finished growing, she just stood there, bewildered, with Paquxa looking on in dull surprise as well.

Milia looked down at her surroundings, flabbergasted by the perspective. It was one thing to imagine being at giant-sized while piloting a jetbike. To actually experience it…

It wasn't something Milia had wanted to experience, anyway.

"Melany, you brainless bimbo! If you had to make me a giant freak, couldn't you at least _WARN ME _first!?" Milia demanded angrily.

"Keep it down!" squeaked a tiny voice. "I'm hitching a ride inside your ear!"

"Oh, sorry," said Milia dully.

It was then that Milia noticed Paquxa a few feet away. Actually, it was probably more like a few dozen yards away, given their absurd scale. Milia saw her tail, its blackness almost blending in with the murky darkness, coming at her. Milia backflipped out of the way with an ease that astonished her. Just as with fairies flying at their maximum size, her increased bulk wasn't hampering her at all.

Milia raised her staff as Paquxa moved in. It became apparent that fairy magic had limits: Milia knew that fairies typically couldn't enlarge humans to the same proportions as their maximum size. Milia guessed she was about eighty feet tall. And given how Paquxa seemed to stand at about 150% of her current height…the shadow naga stood over 120 feet, head to ground.

Now that the size gap had been narrowed, Milia could get a better look. Paquxa was indeed wearing some sort of black jacket, with a while, fluffy trim. In addition to pitch-black scales, Paquxa had silvery-grey belly scales. And that headband, it did indeed look like some sort of machine…

There also seemed to be something strapped to Paquxa's back. But it was still dark. Milia wasn't sure what it could be. Then Paquxa reached behind her and produced two long batons…no, they had black blades fastened at the ends, like carved obsidian rock. They snapped together, and Paquxa came at Milia with a double-bladed staff.

Milia effortlessly parried her first strike, but Paquxa swung the other end up at the battlemage. Milia reared back just in time, the tip of the blade barely missing her chin. Paquxa tried her tail again, but this time, Milia snagged it with her staff's bladed end.

Paquxa screamed, crimson blood splashing over the ground and trees as her tail reared back. Incensed, Paquxa kept up the offensive, lunging at Milia with relentless staff strikes.

Even at this size, Milia was as a gross disadvantage. Even for a naga her size, Paquxa was _STRONG_. Milia could block all her staff blows, but Paquxa struck with such force, she was swiftly wearing her down.

Paquxa swung her tail again, meaning to smash Milia's legs. Once again, Milia backflipped out of the way. Sensing an opening, Milia charged, brandishing her staff like a spear. The blade sank in just underneath Paquxa's rib cage, yet Milia sensed it hadn't penetrated very deep. Paquxa's jacket must have had an armored layer.

With a shriek, Paquxa lashed out with her tail yet again, this time clubbing Milia and knocking her aside. Milia rolled along the ground, flattening some of the smaller trees. "Hey, the ride's getting a little _bumpy_ in here," huffed Melany. "I can't see a thing, but I guess the fight with the shadow naga isn't going well. I already came up with an unconventional plan. You better figure something out…"

Muttering curses, Milia sat back up, only to see Paquxa slither up with staff raised, meaning to impale her. Taking Melany's advice, Milia willed her own staff to retract. She stowed it away as she leapt up at Paquxa. Milia swerved around, positioning herself at the shadow naga's back. Before Paquxa could shake her off, Milia took out something else: the directional mic.

Silently praying to whatever gods willing to listen, Milia thrust the earpieces into Paquxa's ears, put the mic to her lips, breathed deeply, then screamed with all her might.

Paquxa's own scream mixed with her own. Too stunned to reach up for the earpieces, Paquxa merely collapsed a second later.

_Between my scream and that booming thud, every neko citizen in the area must be wide awake by now,_ Milia mused, looking down at the fallen shadow naga. For a moment, Milia wasn't sure what to do. Go ahead and flee? No, she could spare a moment to rid Felarya of this scourge. Garrardo already admitted she devoured dozens of people today, presumably on his orders.

But despite their reputation, the Isolon Fist wasn't about indiscriminately hunting predators. Their job was to provide a deterrent. Leaving predators alive to spread tales of getting clobbered by their prey helped with that. And also, now that the size different was mostly eliminated, seeing the naga helpless at her feet…a sudden reluctance took hold.

A faint whooshing noise made Milia look up. Something tiny was rocketing toward her, leaving a trail of smoke.

Recognizing what it was, Milia staggered back, but it was too late. The rocket-propelled grenade struck. In a blinding flash of heat and light, the directional mic exploded in her hand. Screaming, Milia held her hand, the heat and explosive force having seeped through her armored gauntlet.

"Not to worry, Milia. At this range, the next one will hit home!" came an icy, singsong voice. Milia then saw Imkza, still at human proportions, fluttering a few dozen yards away. She brandished a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, and it was already reloaded…and aimed right at Milia.

"T-T-That's…Isolon Fist weaponry!" spluttered Milia, horrified. "How'd you get one of our grenade launchers!?" Out of all the insane ironies she had faced tonight…to be done in by one of her organization's own trademark weapons!? Like most Isolon Fist gear, that launcher was advanced technology augmented with magic. Milia knew full well a direct hit might mean her end.

Imkza smirked. "Oh, our merry little band of renegades has amassed quite a collection of cool stuff. Especially weapons," she answered teasingly. "And now…smile!" Milia saw Imkza's hand tense around the trigger.

"Sounds like I'd better step in," Milia heard Melany mutter in her ear. As swiftly as she had grown, Milia found herself shrinking again. Seconds later, Melany darted out of her ear before it got too cramped. Hopefully, she aimed to fly them out, now that Paquxa was down.

The suddenness of Melany's move caught Imkza's off-guard, but then she adjusted her aim. Milia was a rapidly diminishing target, and soon would be impossible to hit. She angled her aim downward even more. Milia backed away, realizing she intended to aim at her feet, before the shrinking was complete. Milia ran backwards even more, but Imkza darted ahead…and fired.

Just as Milia would have vanished from Imkza's view, the grenade struck the forest floor. Everything in a twenty-foot radius was incinerated. Imkza looked on, confident that Melany couldn't have escaped with Milia…alive.

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Felarya character credits:

Crisis, Anna Demorah, Temi, Léa, Lily, Belletia, Melany, Subeta, Aya, Frerik Mezzus, Alastazia Lesona and Zil belong to Karbo

Milly, Isham, Elia, Calina, Lucilya, Yemic, Jissy, Roshan, Ajab and Pal Sebrit belong to FrenchSnack

Jora Fenderen, Jade and Tanny belong to Ravana3K

Remus vir Patstriker and Xanthe belong to NickInAmerica

Katrika and Velvet belong to Zoekin3

Milia Moonlieth and Zycra Zordford belong to vaderaz

Seliky Serela belongs to kikijonson

Fiona belongs to rcs169

Noxcia belongs to turboman500

Kai Roga Mayin belongs to JiroKatsu

Exona, General Garrardo, Paquxa, Imkza and Shandra belong to yours truly, Grey-X


	10. The Militia in the Mountains

Dynamic Equilibrium

a Bones/Felarya crossover

Chapter 10: The Militia in the Mountains

7-21-2013

by Greyman

Disclaimer: Bones and all related characters are the property of 20th Century Fox. Felarya is the creation and property of Karbo, and all associated characters are the property of their respective creators.

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"You _LEFT _Melany back there!?" shrieked Lily, glaring at the human investigators angrily. "For all we know, that flock of brainwashed featherdusters ganged up on her!" The fairy was practically nose-to-nose with Temperance, but she didn't retreat in the slightest. After being assaulted by a slug girl and a flock of harpies, it would take more than one irate fairy to rattle her. Especially if it was a fairy that needed her.

"Exona's wings were injured at the time, so she couldn't follow. Besides, we couldn't wait for Melany. There was too great a risk of that harpy flock returning for the other wagon. It was imperative to get it safely back to the Giant Tree," Temperance replied calmly.

"Melany can take care of herself, Lily," added Léa. "As for Dr. Brennan, she and her team are just doing their jobs. Let's face it: they've made more progress in just _one day_ than we have since you first found Shandra's body."

"Hopefully, we'll get farther tomorrow," said Camille. "The wagon Crisis held onto had only five bodies, but Dr. Brennan held onto all Negav's case files, so maybe that'll give us enough data when work resumes in the morning."

Temperance and her friends were all back in their alcove, standing near one entrance. Hovering over them were Crisis and Anna, the latter's face betraying her impatience with Lily's abrasiveness. Crisis looked shamefaced: whether it was from leaving Melany behind or losing the other wagon, Temperance couldn't tell. Temi, Exona, Léa, Remus and Mezzus also joined them in the alcove.

Sweets yawned suddenly. "If that's Cam's way of saying we all need a break, I agree. We won't get any farther tonight, and the victims' bodies we _DO_ have aren't going anywhere now." He turned to look at the five metal caskets taken further into the alcove.

"Oh don't worry. Kai, Zycra and I will gladly volunteer to take shifts guarding the bodies," said Temi. Temperance heard Lily mutter something under her breath. Camille had already explained how they approached Lily to clandestinely watch all their backs. Now she'd even be expected to guard _DEAD_ humans.

"Not just the bodies. We _ALL_ need to watch each others' backs," said Remus suddenly. "Those harpies got in here once before, and now we find out they've been zombified and made puppets? The stakes are obviously much higher."

"Righter than you know, little guy," came a cheery voice from behind Anna and Crisis. At first, Temperance tensed, not able to recognize the voice right away. But then someone wedged herself between Crisis and Anna. A flash of turquoise hair and antlers made Temperance relax. Ironic, considering what Melany was doing the first time they met.

"_M-M-MELANY_!? Y-Y-Y-You're OK?" spluttered Lily, flying up to Melany's face. "But…it's been an hour since Crisis's group got back! What kept you? And no offense, but as humans might say…you look like shit."

It was true. Melany's level was disheveled, and looked…a little singed around the edges? Temperance couldn't see much of Melany's body, but she looked to be covered in soot and grime. There seemed to even be slight burn marks on her face and shoulders.

Her mood didn't reflect that. "Go take on a shadow naga and a fellow fairy who armed herself with Isolon Fist weapons, Lily. See how good you look after that," Melany said slyly.

"Shadow naga? Isolon Fist weapons?" demanded Hodgins. "Care to rewind and play from the beginning?" Melany's composure faltered for a moment as he glared down at Hodgins. Obviously, she hadn't forgotten about Hodgins's 'experiment' with that video.

"I'm…sure it'll make for a nice story," Camille said with mock sincerity. "But, if I may be so bold…did you recover the other wagon?"

Melany's slyness faded completely. "Unfortunately, no. That harpy lost me over Nekomura. However, I do have a…consolation prize." She shoved Anna aside a little more, earning the fairy a sharp glare. Then she dropped something into to alcove, which rolled to a stop near Temperance's feet.

It was a person, no, a woman. One sporting strange, lightweight blue armor, and her hair was blue as well. That only fazed Temperance for a moment. Unnatural hair colors on fellow humans…it defied what Temperance knew of molecular biology. Yet, just as Exona had said about her and cosmology, Temperance found herself effortlessly putting it out of her mind.

"Ugh…that's payback for the rough ride in my ear, isn't it?" the woman grumbled as she stood up, turning back to Melany. "Hey, you were the one who thought that'd be a good place to hide after siccing me on Paquxa."

Temperance had no idea what they were talking about, so she focused on the woman's appearance some more. Like Melany, her face, hair and armor sported signs of being uncomfortably close to a fire or explosion. What had these two just endured?

"Ummm, Melany, who is this?" Crisis asked timidly. "She's definitely not a snack, that much is certain."

The blue-haired woman looked up to Crisis, noticing her for the first time. Understandably, she tensed. But though Crisis looked down at her with a slightly hungry look, it went no farther than that. Her bright smile was genuine.

"Judging by her dress, she is an Isolon Fist battlemage," said Mezzus, walking up to her. She whirled around, and suddenly her expression shifted from anxiety to rage.

"_FRERIK MEZZUS_!? Great, I have the privilege of working with Felarya's most notorious predator _AND_ humanity's biggest traitor!? Talk about surefire career advancement!" roared the battlemage. Mezzus, predictably, was unfazed.

Exona suddenly walked in between them and past them, just as it looked like the battlemage would lash out. The fairy intern glared up at Melany. "Melany, let me get this straight. Dr. Brennan, Agent Booth and I hammer out a shaky agreement with Alastazia Lesona. You know, the current boss of the Ps'isol Magiocrats? And hours later, you go and kidnap a member of the _ISOLON FIST_!?"

Melany looked down at Exona, confused. "Uhhh, it's not like she was safe in Nekomura. Go ahead and ask her."

Sighing, Exona turned to the battlemage. "I'm sorry. In the confusion, I didn't catch your name," said the fairy, placing a hand on her shoulder.

The battlemage looked as perplexed as Melany, but soon regained her combative composure. "Milia. Milia Moonleith."

"OK, Milia. Allow me to welcome you into our dysfunctional band of crime investigators," said Exona, sweeping her arm to indicate everyone in the alcove, stopping at Temperance. "And this is Dr. Temperance Brennan, the best forensic anthropologist in the known universe. If you have any pertinent information about our murder cases, please share it with her. In the meantime, I need to go find a nice, secluded branch to bash my head against."

With that, Exona fluttered off down the alcove, leaving a lot of confused people in her wake.

"I saw you three earlier tonight. So that's really what you were doing in Negav?" demanded Milia as she turned to Temperance. "These bodies…Lady Lesona authorized them being handed over to you?" she asked, glancing at the caskets.

"Yes. I was brought to Felarya to solve the murder of a fairy named Shandra. We believe it's connected to the murders in Negav," said Temperance.

"You're righter than you know," said Milia. "I tailed a Vishmital and a Magiocrat aide after overhearing they were plotting something, all the way to Nekomura. I'm still trying to wrap my head around what I heard tonight. But if you're also working on Lady Lesona's behalf, and since you're the forensics genius they're sweating over, you need to hear it too…"

Milia then launched into her account of what she overheard that night, as well as her reluctant team-up with Melany. Temperance listened with interest as Milia recalled the details of her encounters with the Deluran general Garrardo, the rogue fairy Imkza, and the 'shadow naga' Paquxa. But the shrinking and growing Milia described…it was still hard for Temperance to grasp, even after experiencing it herself.

But that wasn't what was relevant. Garrardo and Imkza…both of them were potential murder suspects. And Paquxa was clearly the naga that decimated that Deluran unit, then framed Crisis. It couldn't have been clearer that this organization masterminded the Negav murders, and then killed Shandra when she threatened to jeopardize their plans for a coup.

"And so, after being blown clear by Imkza's rocket grenade, and barely surviving, Melany flew us straight here," said Milia, finishing her story. "Not that I'm particularly thrilled about staying the night in the Giant Tree, but I knew you people were the only ones I could turn to. If that damn fairy got her grimy mitts on Isolon Fist gear, I don't think there's _ANYONE_ I can trust back in Negav."

"By the way, you said that this general's blood got on your staff, and then you retracted it?" asked Camille suddenly. "Could it still be in there, preserved?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Bemused, Milia took out something that had been fastened at the back of her belt. What looked like the bladed tip of a glaive, housing a huge, oval, blue gem. Just like with Léa's staff, it extended, and sure enough, blood remained from where Garrardo had gripped it. And it still looked fresh.

"I'll take that," said Camille simply, plucking the staff from the battlemage's hands. Milia watch with a mix of bemusement and annoyance as Camille took off with her weapon. No doubt she didn't want to part with it, especially here.

"We should also take throat swabs and sputum samples. Maybe I can identify whatever that general used on you," added Hodgins.

Milia's expression grew mutinous. Melany, sensing her reluctance, slyly said, "Believe you me, Milia, his 'tests' on us fairies were much more…unpleasant. Count your blessings."

Milia glared up at Melany, far from placated. But her gaze slowly drifted over to Anna. "And what's gotten into you all of a sudden?" the battlemage demanded, staring up at the pink-haired naga.

Temperance looked up as well. Anna usually had an air of brusqueness. Someone who did not tolerate any nonsense, and was totally focused on her work. But for some reason, that composure had evaporated. She gazed down past the alcove listlessly, her mouth agape, eyes betraying utter disbelief. She even seemed to be shaking.

When Crisis noticed, she darted to Anna's side. "Anna, what's wrong? Are you feeling OK?" she asked kindly, putting her hands on Anna's shoulders.

Anna swatted Crisis's hands away. "Don't, Crisis. Stop pretending you can help with how I feel," she spat. "You never knew who your parents were. For all intents and purposes, Temi is your mother. Imagine if found out she's…s-s-she's…."

Temperance was beginning to catch on. "Anna, do you personally know one of the conspirators that Milia confronted? Paquxa, perhaps?"

"Oh _HELLS _no. One touched-in-the-head glutton of a blond naga in my life is enough!" snapped Anna. "And this Imkza…she must've ditched these fairies before I showed up. It's General Garrardo that I know all too well."

"_YOU_ know this general personally!?" cried Milia, dubiousness oozing out of her. "Then damnit, spill what you know! If you have that sort of intel…"

Milia stopped when Anna's hand was thrust out at her. Her huge finger was pointed at Milia, her fingertip less than a foot from her face. "Before I say anything about Garrardo and I…your word, Milia Moonleith, that you _NEVER_ reveal what I'm about to spill about myself. To _NO ONE_, in Negav or otherwise. _NO ONE_!"

Milia shoved Anna's finger aside. "Don't go pointing fingers at me, naga. This general of yours, whatever you may think of him…he was about to make me neko food, and probably would've had Imkza flatten your fairy friend!" Temperance had just met this 'battlemage', but she already respected how giant nagas couldn't bully her.

However, Anna proved just as willful. She leaned into the alcove, glaring at Milia. "One, ol' hornhead is hardly my 'friend'. And two, old loyalties to army buddies aren't the only thing on my mind. You want my intel? Your word as Isolon Fist that certain details _NEVER_ get mentioned to anyone else!" Anna's yellow eyes seemed to pulsate as she stared Milia down.

Eventually, it was Milia who relented. With a sigh, she said, "Fine. You win. Whatever you reveal stays between us. You have my word."

Sweets had walked up behind Temperance. "If fairies can truly be compared to us…this 'battlemage' is the human equivalent of Lily. There's a resentment of predators that goes beyond what one would except of a soldier charged with combating them."

Temperance had gathered as much herself. But at the moment, she was more interested in Anna. From the outset, Anna billed herself as the one best able to aid the Jeffersonian team. All these predators seemed to have uncomfortable secrets, some perplexing life story. What was Anna's?

"General Garrardo was indeed my commanding officer for many years," said Anna as she withdrew her head. "Since I had practically no family left, you could say he became something of a father figure."

"Yeah, he has a way with predators," spat Milia. "Outside of eating me, that fairy and shadow naga seemed ready to do anything else he ordered."

"Well, back when I knew Garrardo, I didn't exactly have a snake tail. Or outweigh whales," Anna shot back.

Temperance wasn't sure what Anna was getting at, but something dawned on Milia. "Wait a minute…are you saying you were once a _human_!?" Milia demanded, her dubiousness a palpable thing. "What made you like _THIS_!?"

Anna pointed over to Crisis, who fidgeted nervously, quickly glancing away from the alcove.

"_CRISIS _happened to you?" asked Booth. "You can't possibly mean that she ate you, and out popped another naga."

"More or less. All I know is that a few hours after I was liquefied in that stomach of hers, I get reincarnated, looking all big and bad like this," said Anna sourly. "We're still not quite sure how it happened. And frankly, adapting to these new circumstances is still a more vexing priority.

"As for General Garrardo, he actually handpicked me due to my engineering skill, and pretty much took me under his wing. He empathized with my situation: the only reason I joined the Deluran army as a scout was to raise enough money for me and my little brother. He's still back in Delurah, and years later, I still don't have a clue how he's doing back in that shithole. In fact, I'm afraid that if my..._CONDITION_ became common knowledge, my brother could be used in a chess game to blackmail me. So do forgive me of being wary of_ who_ I share this information with."

Anna was as vehement as ever, but Milia…her resolve had waned. Her eyes had widened, Anna's story affecting her on some level. Temperance couldn't blame her. Going for years and years, while the fate of a loved one remained a mystery…for Temperance, it hit too close to home. To find that her mother's remains were in the Jeffersonian before she was ever hired there…

"So…is there anything more you can tell us about General Garrardo?" Milia pressed on, though her voice was inflected more tactfully. It was as close to an apology as Anna would get.

"He never put it in words, but he empathized with how I felt about the government back home. That is, the greedy plutocracy that runs everything behind the scenes, and leaves little for everyone else. Like my brother and I," said Anna, her own composure faltering. "In a way, it's not surprising he's working with malcontents from Negav. But if he ordered this Paquxa to eat fellow Delurans…it wasn't a decision he made lightly, I can promise you that. You said those Vishmital victims were targeted because they'd be too loyal to the Vishmital leaders in place, according to this Rnokoll guy, right? No doubt Garrardo targeted those in that unit for the same reason. And he's cunning, patient…definitely the type who'll wait years before all the chess pieces are ready."

Temperance kept looking up to Anna. She hadn't given the pink-haired naga much thought until now. Anna was quite abrasive, yet seemed to think she could work with them merely because she didn't eat their kind. It hadn't really worked out that way, but now…was it any wonder Anna could be so grouchy and standoffish? If anyone understood what it meant to work against those you considered family, it was Temperance. Temperance's own father had done…questionable things to ensure her safety, to say the least.

And turned into a creature of such monstrous size…_PERMANENTLY_?

Temperance fervently hoped she could avoid that fate.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hours ago, Alastazia Lesona ventured into the Hanging Garden of the Golden Spires to contact her Saidakin agents. Not only was it a relatively discreet place to do so on the sly, but the garden's irresistible beauty always helped to soothe her nerves, to aid her in focusing her thoughts.

Until tonight. Now, as Lesona stared out across Negav, there was no hope of maintaining her usual focus. There would be no easy way to bring order to either her thoughts…or the chaos erupting in the other two tiers.

"The reports were accurate. Some sort of riot is breaking out. The light from the fires…I see it, all the way in the Lower Tier," Lesona muttered in disbelief.

"Tensions are escalating faster than we thought," said Gramon Baltazhar, a fellow Magiocrat and close friend…or as close a friend as Lesona would allow. He wore a white mage's tunic that nearly touched the floor, along with a tall, wide-brimmed purple hat. His short, sandy blond hair fluttered a bit in a breeze that brought with it the acrid smell of smoke. "We should have seen the warning signs. It's usually impossible to provoke Vishmitals. Vishmitals_ picking_ a fight with our aides and Isolon Fist was a clear indication things are spiraling out of our control."

"The important thing now is that we move swiftly to contain the violence," said Lesona sternly. "Those fires…they're in the vicinity of where our other security forces regularly meet and store their equipment."

"It could be more Vishmitals that reached their tipping point. Or it could be anxious peasants fearful of getting crushed when rival forces clash," said Gramon.

"In any case, this cannot go unanswered." Lesona spun around to address the captain of the Magiocrats' personal guard, her silvery-white dress gliding through the tense, gloomy night. "Captain, organize with the Lower Tier's police force and lock down that sector of the city. And put the word out that a sufficient number of healers are to join you, in case of mass casualties. Come to think of it, I'll send any Magiocrats proficient at healing."

"Also, any available Isolon Fist should be put on alert, regardless of whether they are on off-rotation. Though discreetly, so as not to instigate any Vishmitals further," Gramon suggested.

The captain glanced dubiously over at Gramon, then back to Lesona. Lesona nodded stiffly to show her approval. Then, quick a quick salute, her captain departed.

"We should consider going too, Alastazia, whatever the danger," added Gramon. "We may not be top-notch healers, but at least we can get a first-hand…"

Gramon was interrupted by a strange ringing. Gramon and Lesona looked around for the source of the noise; their eyes fell on Lesona's dress pocket at about the same time.

"Alastazia, what's this? That noise sounds almost…mechanical? Is there something you're…"

"Not now, Gramon!" snapped Lesona. "Go ahead, get to the riot site and tell me what you find. There's something else I must attend to."

"More important than our city falling apart!?" demanded Gramon. "Alastazia, my friend, what could…"

"That wasn't a suggestion! That was a direct order from the head of the Magiocrats' Council! Now go!" Lesona commanded. Knowing when to drop the matter, Gramon bowed and promptly exited the garden.

Once Lesona was certain he was out of earshot, Lesona pulled out Booth's phone. A huge, flashing rectangle had appeared, with a word Lesona couldn't quite make out. Felarya's magic ensured all spoken language could be understood, but written languages took a lot longer to decipher. Still, the flashing rectangle beckoned to her. For a moment, Lesona's outstretched finger hovered over the screen. Then, she timidly pressed the icon. A second later, Lesona heard some soft, incoherent mumbling. Also, an icon with Dr. Brennan's face appeared in the top corner.

The mumbling continued, and Lesona held the device closer. The voice became almost intelligible. It sounded like another woman, possibly Brennan. Figuring it was some sort of radio, Lesona held it up to her ear, her patience nearly exhausted. "Dr. Brennan, if that's you, please understand that you cannot simply contact me whenever you wish. Not only is it after dark, but there's a, for lack of a better word, _CRISIS_ here in Negav that may necessitate Isolon Fist involvement!"

There was some confusing muttering on the other end, to the point of timidity. _Nothing like the cool-headed anthropologist who could stare down a slug girl,_ Lesona thought to herself. But then the other person finally spoke up. It wasn't Dr. Brennan at all.

"Ummm, in that case, Lady Lesona, it's a good thing I'll be returning tomorrow." It was a woman's voice. Probably a younger woman like herself, and speaking with her, even across a great distance, obviously filled her with anxiety…

Lesona put all the puzzle pieces together in seconds. "Milia Moonleith!? What are_ you _doing with Dr. Brennan's communications device!?" demanded Lesona.

"We're borrowing Bones's phone. Whatever's going on in Negav, you also need to hear this." It was Booth, speaking to her with a boldness that Milia lacked when addressing Magiocrats.

Lesona wasn't sure if Milia's meekness around her, or Booth's temerity, annoyed her more.

"It's true, Lady Lesona. I've uncovered vital information…stumbled upon spies in our midst conspiring to overthrow the Ps'isol Magiocrats," said Milia. Before Lesona could cut in, Milia began explaining what she went through that evening. More than once, Booth's phone almost slid out of Lesona's hand.

"The Vishmital named Rnokoll and an aide of ours named Amj? They're the two conspirators you know of?" demanded Lesona. "No doubt they had a hand in tonight's near-riot. I'll have them detained at once."

"NO!" roared Booth, as if he could give orders to the head of the Magiocrat Council. "These conspirators will be on edge, not knowing if Melany and Milia survived. But with any luck, they'll assume they got fried, and be less careful. You'll need them tailed, and also need to dig up everything you can about Rnokoll and Amj. Where they've been going, who they've been talking to. I got a nasty feeling you're dealing with more than two moles."

"Agent Booth is right. The general's fairy lackey, Imkza…she had Isolon Fist weaponry at her disposal," added Milia. "Until we know just _HOW_ that fairy got it, we have to assume all Isolon Fist are potential subversives."

Lesona's free hand went to her forehead, a splitting headache coming on. "I don't suppose you have any proof of this treason?"

"I'm sorry, Lady Lesona, but the directional mic and the recording…that's what Imkza destroyed," said Milia apologetically.

Lesona sighed with annoyance. "But Brennan still has some of the bodies, correct?"

"Bones and Cam are doing some preliminary work now," said Booth. "We won't get much from them now, but by morning, Shandra's skeleton will finally be ready. Then Bones can do what she does best."

"And we'll see if Brennan lives up to her legend," mused Lesona. "In the meantime, I've got fires raging and a potential outbreak of mob violence in and around police and military installations in the Lower Tier. If this General Garrardo's aim is to have Negav rip itself apart, he's succeeding. But even if we had proof, attacking the Deluran base directly would yield no results. It's almost as well-defended as Negav. Any recommendations, Agent Booth?"

There was silence on the other end for a while, until a third voice spoke up. Lesona inwardly cringed upon hearing Exona. "Sounds like it's time to use the Saidakin."

"Who are the Saidakin?" asked Booth.

"And how do _you_ know of them, fairy?" spat Lesona. The existence of the Saidakin wasn't exactly public knowledge. Among Negav's citizens, they were considered mostly myth and fearful rumor, and Lesona wanted it to stay that way.

"This fairy has learned quite a bit over the course of four hundred years," Exona replied slyly. "Still, I'd love to know if you got the idea for the name 'Saidakin' from Frank Herbert's Sardaukar. It wouldn't surprise me one bit."

"Anyway, whoever these Saidakin are, they sound like your equivalent of black ops," Booth cut in. "If you can deploy them to spy on the Deluran base and tail what spies of Garrardo's we know of, then yeah. I'd _DEFINITELY_ recommend doing it."

"And Lady Lesona, please be careful," urged Milia, almost in a whimper. "Garrardo spoke of capturing the queen piece or something, and Imkza bragged about stalking a human for years. She wasn't affected by the Nekomura Eyes, so they could mean you."

Suddenly, the garden felt decidedly unsafe. Exona already made a show of being immune to the Isolon Eye, strutting about in this very garden. Now there was _ANOTHER_ who could do the same!? Lesona looked among all the rows of exotic plants. Even with her skill as a Magiocrat, a skilled fairy could be hiding among them, suppressing her magic and waiting for a chance to strike…

"Your warning is greatly appreciated, Milia Moonleith," said Lesona.

"And I shall try to return to Negav tomorrow, with one of these investigators and allies of…'friendly' predators." It couldn't have been plainer, how hard it was for Milia to spit out those last two words together. Hopefully, that meant time in the Giant Tree wouldn't blind Milia to the predators' true nature. "I'll have to be incognito, but I'm determined to help them get answers in Negav. And I'll be at your beck and call if you need me, Lady Lesona."

"Do what you feel is necessary, Moonleith. You've done admirably so far. Call me again tomorrow," said Lesona. Looking at the phone again, Lesona saw another rectangle flashing. After she pressed it, that seemed to sever contact with Milia.

Then Lesona took off, aiming to rush to the arson site. How disgustingly ironic, that the epicenter of an outbreak of violence was the _SAFEST_ place for her to be…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Temperance groggily crawled out of her sleeping bag, which was generously provided by other visitors from Earth, housed in this 'Safe Harbor'. Tiny rays of sunlight filtered into the alcove, miraculously peering through all the leaves in the Giant Tree. Temperance was amazed by how soundly she slept. Facing giant harpies and a slug girl, creatures that defied all known tenets of physics and biology, should have taxed her hyper-rational mind to the limit, making it impossible to sleep.

But it didn't. She was in full possession of her faculties, and felt surprisingly refreshed after only a few hours of sleep. Temperance looked around, noticing that Angela and Camille were still in their sleeping bags, fast asleep.

"Ah, the mighty anthropologist awakens," came a tiny, curt voice. Temperance whirled around, and spotted the source. Perched on the post of a hastily-constructed crib for Michael was Lily, shrunken to her minimum height of around three inches. Light had yet to fully penetrate into the alcove, so it would have been easy to miss her. And doubtless that was how Lily wanted it.

"How…long have you been there?" Temperance asked delicately.

Lily glanced down at the sleeping baby. Surely, this fairy's vendetta wasn't so great, she viewed the son of an artist and a scientist as a threat? "The last few hours. Once the sun's risen fully, and the predators outside the alcove take over, I can finally get some sleep myself," she replied stiffly.

Maybe it was the size difference, but Lily's voice sounded far less venomous than from last night. "T-Thank you, Lily, for standing watch all night," said Temperance.

"Shandra's bones were ready hours ago," Lily said nonchalantly. "Thank me by doing what you do best."

Temperance didn't know what else to say. She was still clueless as to why Lily loathed her kind, so Temperance simply nodded and began her trek across the alcove.

Over the years, Temperance heard many people claim she was passionate about her work, putting long hours into investigations with little thought of anything else. Temperance simply saw it as staying focused and doing her job. But as she walked across the alcove, it was obvious she was hardly to first to rise. Near the entrance where Anna had set up shop, the pink-haired naga was hard at work, staring at the huge television screen. If last night's revelation still rattled her, Anna didn't show it. Meanwhile, at Dr. Hodgins's own nearby workstation, a truly passionate scientist was hard at work.

And had drawn quite a crowd. Xanthe, the wingless fairy she had met back in D.C., stood beside Hodgins as he ran one of his tests. Behind his workstation was a tall, silver-haired girl Temperance hadn't met. Lastly, and to Temperance's amazement, the neko Calina hovered around his workstation, and Hodgins didn't seem the least bit perturbed.

Curious to see if Hodgins had any new findings, Temperance walked over to them. Unsurprisingly, Calina's head turned first, before Temperance was even within fifty feet. "Ah, the Bone Lady awakens!" she cried as Temperance walked up. "You're in luck, Doctor. The first skeleton is ready, and Exona has a tent set up for an examination room."

"Do fairies ever get any sleep?" Temperance wondered aloud. "In any case, it shows I chose the right Felaryan to be an intern."

"It's a trait shared by fairies who are driven," said Xanthe. "I recall going many sleepless nights, hunting for humans and nekos already being hunted…" Temperance wasn't sure, but she thought she detected a hint of sadness in Xanthe's voice.

"Oh please, you still drive Daddy nuts sometimes, all those restless nights staying up for no reason…" The silver-haired child was playfully teasing Xanthe, but it seemed to make Xanthe's mood worse.

"Excuse me, but I don't think we've met," said Temperance.

"Oh, the name's Ciel. Dad told me all about you and Booth already." Ciel went around from behind Hodgins's workstation. She moved with astounding swiftness, and before Temperance knew it, she was face-to-face with the girl, shaking her hand. She wore a tight-fitting blue T-shirt, and around her neck, a chain with some sort of silver scale attached. Suddenly, Ciel looked apologetic. "Dad didn't want to drag you and Booth here, really. If anyone knows how lethal Felarya can be for humans, it's him. He just, well…didn't see any other option."

"Wait, are you saying Remus is your father?" asked Temperance, quickly piecing the clues together. "I guess it's no surprise to learn that humans and fairies can interbreed, but he hadn't mentioned having a child of his own."

"Well, not his own _BIOLOGICAL_ child," Hodgins cut in with a smirk. "Look down."

Temperance's gaze drifted down. Emerging from underneath Ciel's shirt…was the tail of a naga. Silvery-blue scales with a pearly-white underbelly. Despite herself, Temperance jumped back a little in surprise. "I-I-I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting a naga our size," she immediately apologized. "Exona hinted at the existence of nagas that only grew to human proportions, but I had yet to see one."

"Well, technically, I _AM _a giant naga," Ciel said. There was no mistaking the sullenness there. "Give it a few more years, then I'll be able to wrestle Crisis to the ground. Or knowing our luck, even Malika."

"Well Dr. Brennan, now that you've met Remus's charming adopted daughter, you'll be happy to know we're going over Paquxa's hair one last time," said Hodgins. "Thanks to some other new friends, we'll easily yank out particulates I missed."

Temperance wondered what Hodgins was talking about, but then she heard voices…faint, indistinct voices. Her eyes drifted down to the workstation, and she received yet another shock.

Four tiny people, as small as Lily had made herself, were casually strolling away from naga hair wound up like rope! Three of them were idly chatting amongst themselves: an anxious-looking brown-haired boy and two blonde girls. One of the girls sounded sprightly and boisterous, but the other, with her hair cut short, seemed more reserved. The last little person, who had long, raven-black hair…looked even more nervous than the boy. She stayed close to the others, and never uttered a word.

The tiny girl with long, blond hair noticed Temperance first. "Oh, hello! You must be Dr. Temperance Brennan. The name's Joanna. Dr. Hodgins and Xanthe told us all about you." Temperance was shocked by outgoing she was, betraying no anxiety about being around people so much bigger. Temperance was sure her own stoic veneer had slipped more times while in Felarya than she'd care to admit.

"Yes, I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan. So…you helped Dr. Hodgins retrieve particulates?" she asked anxiously. "Is that why you were brought here?"

"Nah. They asked to tag along with me out of curiosity. Some of the Alsumi make regular trips to Safe Harbor, but hardly ever the Giant Tree," explained Calina. The neko leaned over the workstation on her elbows, glancing down at the four little people Temperance could only assume were 'tomthumbs'. The race of 'tinies' hunted by nekos.

Again, Exona's mention of them hadn't prepared Temperance for actually _seeing_ them. They defied Temperance's understanding of physiology as much as Felarya's giant races. With their small volume in relation to surface area, how did these tinies not freeze to death?

As she pondered this, Temperance suddenly feared for them, seeing as how Calina never took her eyes off of the Alsumi. But just as Exona said, Calina did nothing else. There was no hungry glint in the neko's eyes. Something Crisis hadn't quite managed yet.

"So when Milly asked me to stay here in the Giant Tree, so I can give her all the juicy details in this crime drama later, some of the Alsumi begged me to take them too," Calina went on.

"Tan here can't stand to be separated from Calina too long, anyway," said the other blond girl flatly. It wasn't exactly an innocent tease.

"Tina, will you get over it already?" Tan asked dismissively. Joanna, likewise, shot a withering look at Tina.

The black-haired Alsumi still had yet to speak. Taking the plunge, Temperance said, "And…what's your name? You've been awfully quiet. I thought Alsumi felt safe around when Calina was around."

"This one, well…she's a special case," said Calina. "I don't think she's ever uttered a word around me."

"Or me. And I'm the one who brought Meringue all the way to Milly's for Remus." Temperance turned to see Subeta walking toward them, still wearing those clothes from before. She was smiling, clutching a box full of soil, pollen and water samples. "Anyway, here's another delivery, fresh from the southeast Ascarlin Mountains." The canopy fairy carefully set the box down about a foot from the four Alsumi.

"A mineralogist's work is never done," said Hodgins. Instead of annoyed, he sounded giddy. As if each new delivery from a different part of Felarya was like a Christmas present. "Take five, little guys. Hopefully this batch of samples is a match for _something_…"

"Sure thing, Dr. Hodgins! And nice meeting you, Dr. Brennan," said Joanna cheerfully.

"Err, likewise, Joanna," said Temperance, at a loss for words herself.

"Come on, Dr. Brennan. I'll show you where Exona set up shop," said Xanthe. She led Temperance away from Hodgins's workstation, toward the other side of the alcove. "I remember the first time Remus and I saw Milly's tomthumb friends. It's impossible not to love those Alsumi, isn't it? Especially Joanna. She can become friends with anyone, and never shows any fear. She was probably the first one to accept Calina. Well, besides Tan of course…"

As Xanthe kept talking, Temperance couldn't help but feel there was something else on her mind. Sweets, of course, would know for sure.

However, their psychologist was otherwise occupied. Temperance and Xanthe passed where Sweets had set up shop, and Booth, Milia and Temi were with him. Rough sketches of the three conspirators Milia faced (Garrardo, Imkza and Paquxa) were nailed to the alcove wall, along with other documents beneath them.

"From what Anna and Milia told me about this Deluran general, it's _possible_ that he could have been driven to kill Shandra. I'm not certain," Temperance heard Sweets say. "He clearly has the physical prowess. Plus, Anna insists he's pragmatic enough to do it if he felt there was no other choice, and Milia told us how eager he was to fight her after Imkza went down. But does that willingness to settle a score for a friend translate into a willingness to kill another friend liable to betray him? I can't say for certain."

"Likewise, I'm stumped about Imkza," said Temi. "Before she vanished, Imkza had a reputation for being the absolute sneakiest fairy out there. Stealthier than even Lucilya, more devious than Melany. I'd like to say she'd never hurt a close friend, but who knows how much she's changed since joining this general?"

"Possible corrupting human influence aside," Milia cut in, deftly brushing aside Temi's implications, "I'd say Imkza is physically less able than Garrardo to kill another fairy like that. I got the drop on her twice, and she only turned the tables when she fetched an Isolon Fist-grade RPG."

"True, Imkza was hardly a Crimson Maiden," Temi said in agreement. "And we know even _LESS_ about this Paquxa. You'd think there'd be at least _RUMORS _about a shadow naga out there…"

Booth, however, stayed surprisingly silent as they bandied about suggestions and theories. But Temperance could tell his mind was at work, fitting all the puzzle pieces together. As much as he blustered about the importance of gut feelings and leaps of faith…in his own way, Booth was as methodical as she was.

Right now, Sweets and Booth were both in their element. It was time for Temperance to delve into hers.

"'Hardly a Crimson Maiden'," Xanthe repeated testily. "No doubt Temi's referring to hand-to-hand combat, not pyrokinesis. It's the only Maiden trait I have left, really."

"Xanthe, I'm surprised. At first, it seemed that the loss of your wings hardly affected you," said Temperance, taking the plunge.

Xanthe hesitated for a moment. "I lost my wings saving Remus, and in turn he saved us both. And recovered Ciel. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I'm perfectly happy with them, but sometimes…I miss how gratifying it is, having the power to save humans and nekos from ravenous predators, and teach the latter a hard lesson. The feeling's been nagging at me more lately, for some reason…"

"It could be related to your pregnancy," Temperance said. Xanthe's eyes widened; clearly, Xanthe thought no one else could tell. "Your gait has already shifted, due to minute anatomical changes in your pelvic girdle. My own gait has changed as well, so it was easy enough to spot, given a basis for comparison. To be honest, I'm amazed at all the physiological similarities between fairies and humans. First the analogous brain functions, and now…"

"Could you _PLEASE_ keep your brilliant deductions to yourself?" Xanthe hissed through gritted teeth. "I haven't told Remus yet."

It was Temperance's turn to be surprised. "Why not? I told Booth about my pregnancy days after our child's conception. What reason would you have to…"

"It's just, I-I-I just, well," Xanthe began, struggling to find the right words. "Like I said, I sort of miss being a rebel Crimson Maiden who does whatever she feels is right, everyone else be damned. I'm sure it's part of what made Remus fall in love with me in the first place. But having his kid…don't get me wrong, I won't regret bearing Remus's child one bit. But having a child, settling down permanently…it's like admitting my old life is gone for good. That I'll never be a force for good again, like with Jade and Safe Harbor."

Temperance said nothing at first. Xanthe was right: it wasn't her place to dig too deeply into this, not when she was still sorting out her own feelings about having a child with Booth. "Very well, Xanthe. This stays between us."

"See that it does," said Xanthe dryly. "By the way, we're here." Temperance looked ahead. A small, blue tent had been pitched, and the hum of a portable air-conditioning unit could be heard just behind it. Clearly, Exona had made every attempt to create a place for bone examination that was as sterile and climate-controlled as possible.

Temperance stepped through, and almost bumped into a metal table. It seemed to give off some faint illumination, possibly via an enchantment. A swinging arm with a magnifying lens and light attached hung over the table…Exona seemed to have thought of everything. And Exona herself was busily moving the bones around. By the time she looked up, Shandra's skeleton was perfectly arranged.

"Ah, Dr. Brennan, welcome to our 'bone room', as Booth calls it," said Exona brightly. "Looks like I finished articulating Shandra's remains for examination just in time."

Temperance glanced at the skeleton again. It was as if one of her regular interns had arranged everything. "Excellent work, Ms. Exona. When you said your time in Kortiki Town prepared you for this sort of work, you certainly weren't exaggerating."

"And I'm just getting started," Exona added. She swung the arm around so that the magnifying lens hovered over the ribs and vertebrae. "Clean nicks on T11 and the posterior portions of ribs eleven and twelve, just like you predicted."

Temperance nodded in approval. "We should get to Hodgins to swab these soon. At the moment, he only has one sample box to work through."

"Yeah, at least we can learn what the murder weapon was _MADE_ of," Exona mused.

The fairy continued to glance over the remains of her friend, no doubt hoping to spot something. Exona had such an air of confidence about her, Temperance was ready to believe she _could_.

"Exona, you clearly learned a lot during your time in Kortiki Town," said Temperance. "Were biology and anatomy the extent of your studies, and did your work encompass much more?"

"Oh, stuff pertaining to biology was certainly what I loved most. Frerik Mezzus and I…we worked together a lot to explore that frontier," said Exona airily. "I assume you met the Alsumi this morning?"

"The, well, the little people that Milly protects? Yes, I met them."

"And no doubt you wondered how they can possibly keep sufficiently warm, assuming they don't have a metabolism faster than yours," Exona went on. Temperance suddenly felt uncomfortable. Just who was the doctor here, and who was the intern? Who was instructing who?

"Yes, I did wonder about that," said Temperance. "If they indeed possess metabolisms comparable to a human's, it would fly in the face of everything I know about physiology and anatomy."

"Would it? Would it really?" Exona asked airily. "Well, some of the work Mezzus and I have done – on willing tomthumb volunteers, mind you – suggests their adipose tissue has a rather unique composition, which insulates far better than yours."

"Is that so?" asked Temperance, her dubiousness palpable.

"We also tried to answer the question of how humans shrunken and enlarged via fairy magic can resist freezing and overheating, respectively," Exona went on. "Well, in the former case, all the evidence we found points to lingering fairy magic providing the insulation. Makes sense. When the fairy magic dissipates, the human grows back to normal, and the insulation vanishes, all with no change in metabolism. If you were wondering where some of the rumors of Mezzus's experimentation on humans stemmed from, well, there you go."

Temperance took a moment to let this sink in. "Intriguing. But is there any reason you're mentioning all this?"

"Felarya's fantastic nature…it still seems to trouble you," said Exona. "You've probably adapted faster than any other human from your world, but these aspects clearly still bother you. I'm just trying to show how everything you thought you knew need not be discarded."

Temperance sighed. "It's not easy. Not when I'm right in front of someone who can pretty much violate the First Law of Thermodynamics at will."

"What, you mean size-changing with fairy magic? Not really," Exona protested. "Just think of my wings as solar cells. They allow me to channel the ambient magical energy of Felarya, and redirect it elsewhere. If the wings are damaged…no harnessing that energy, no manipulation of matter. It's really that simple."

As much as Temperance hated to admit it, a lot of what Exona said made perfect sense. The scientific truths she held dear…they still applied in Felarya, albeit in a bizarre, new light. Temperance glanced down at the victim's bones. "I don't suppose you and Mezzus formulated a theory as to why Crisis and the other giant predators can defy the Square-Cube Law, too."

Exona shrugged her shoulders. "Not as if any predators are lining up for muscle and bone biopsies. Or humans once enlarged with fairy magic, for that matter. We suspect specific anatomical adaptations of muscle and bone tissue are at play, but never found a reliable way to put any hypotheses to the test."

It wasn't exactly relevant at the moment, but it was still disconcerting. If Exona was right, that meant it wasn't some unknowable magical effect in Felarya that kept Crisis's skeletal system from collapsing. Theoretically, Crisis could show up on Earth with no ill effects…

Preferring not to dwell on that, Temperance looked to the remains again. "In any case, enough idle speculation. Time to uncover some verifiable facts."

"Oh, I agree," said Exona brightly. "I've got some new theories about Shandra just from handling her bones, and was waiting to see if you felt the same." Exona tossed Temperance a box of gloves. After she put them on, Exona tossed Temperance Shandra's right femur.

Temperance was about to chastise Exona for being so careless with evidence, but she immediately sensed what her new intern was hinting at. "This femur, its density…" She held the femur up close as her fingers gently felt along its surface. "Just from the density and gradual remodeling due to physical activity…Shandra certainly did not rely on her wings alone. In humans, femurs like this are typically seen in highly-trained athletes."

"And that's not all. Have a look at the victim's metacarpals. See if you can make sense of these markings," said Exona.

Temperance walked over to the table. After setting the femur back down, she leaned over the bones of Shandra's left hand, and immediately saw what Exona spotted. A whole host of injuries. To most other people, such markers would be indiscernible, but to Temperance's trained eye, they stood out like the Giant Tree. "Remodeling of the fifth metacarpal's dorsal side…" she muttered to herself. Such faint signs on a tiny bone lit up in Temperance's mind like a flare.

After turning her attention to Shandra's carpals and phalanges, even more minute signs of remodeling practically sang out to her. A chorus of markers and clues that elegantly told of who Shandra was and how she lived. Temperance's gaze traveled up Shandra's arm. More infinitesimal signs of remodeling. Then her eyes fell on the head of the humerus. The wear on the domed surface was telling, but soon Temperance's discerning eye fell on something far more overt.

"There's been substantial remodeling of the greater tuberosity of the left humerus," Temperance said evenly. Her gaze then spread outward, and she noticed even more telltale signs along Shandra's clavicle. "Judging from the humerus's proximal end…the evidence is consistent with a severe longitudinal rotator cuff tear."

"Yeah, I saw signs of a nasty fracture at the top of her humerus, too. Of course, with no soft tissue to observe along with it, I couldn't be sure as to what it meant," said Exona in a measured tone. Temperance was impressed. She easily kept up with medical terminology, and betrayed little uneasiness with pouring over her friend's remains. Temperance doubted even she was so detached when examining her mother's bones. "So…are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"There's evidence of remodeling in the clavicle as well, as if someone delivered a blow like a chop with the hand." Temperance's gaze briefly swept over the entire skeleton. Even with a quick glance, other signs sang out in chorus as well. "A severe rotator cuff tear, a metacarpal fracture commonly seen in martial artists, and a host of other fractures… If your hypothesizing that Shandra was involved in some sort of brutal martial arts training, Exona, that would be a logical assessment."

"And from the looks of it, none of these injuries happened in her childhood. Shandra must've taken up martial arts in recent years," Exona added. "This may fit with the timetable of Garrardo's fairy recruitment drive."

"That's still a somewhat hasty supposition, Exona," Temperance chided. Human or otherwise, Temperance didn't like her interns jumping to conclusions.

However, as Temperance looked over Shandra's skeleton some more, all sorts of theories and possibilities danced in her head. The nature of the remodeling…somehow, it suggested a person pushing herself too hard. Someone who devoted herself…and would doubtless feel conflicted when realizing her leaders were about to go too far themselves…

Her thoughts were interrupted by the noisy rustling of the tent's flaps. "Oh, Dr. Hodgins. I guess this saves us a trip with the nicked vertebrae and ribs," said Exona.

"Well, why not? I'm more or less done with giving Subeta's samples a once-over," said Hodgins, smiling. "And we have a match."

"To trace evidence left on the victim?" asked Temperance.

"On Paquxa's hair," replied Hodgins. "The particulates our little Alsumi friends retrieved…they're a perfect match for the mountain soil Subeta brought back. Our mysterious 'shadow naga' spent of _LOT_ of time there. And that gives us a slew of new suspects."

Exona's eyebrows rose. "How so, Dr. Hodgins?"

"Turns out there's a small army of 'adventurers' or whatever that set up shop in the Ascarlin Mountains," said Hodgins. "And best of all, they have two predators on their roster. One's a jumping dridder called Nikita, and the other's an ice naga called Aniya."

"How is having two potentially lethal predators in the employ of possible allies of General Garrardo the best part?" Temperance asked, confused.

"It simply means we're going in the right direction," said Hodgins. "Wasn't Zycra bushwhacked by someone with _ICE_ magic?"

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The wind swept past Temperance's face, a constant reminder of the speed at which they were traveling. Thankfully, the view of the ground far below was effectively blocked. The sensation of huge, blond hairs whipping at her face, however, made Temperance look down anyway.

Hairs from Jora's ponytail were being blown up all the way to Exona's pocket. Exona was holding Jora close as she flew them even further south than yesterday. Given how far they had to travel (almost the same distance as to Negav's south end) , it was quickly decided that going on foot would take far too long. Fortunately, Exona seemed strong enough to carry another giant predator great distances.

Jora was even less enthusiastic about the trip than Temperance was. "Hey! Watch it, Exona, watch it! Jagged edge at twelve o'clock!" cried the giantess. Exona pulled up just in time, and Jora lifted her legs, barely avoiding getting cut on some sharp rocks jutting up from the mountain range.

Temperance had been gripping the top of Exona's coat pocket, and the sudden lurch nearly made her fall all the way in. Booth, however, caught her and hoisted her back up. "Yeah, your interns' coat pockets aren't exactly FAA-approved, I know," he quipped.

Temperance said nothing as she worked up the courage to look past Jora's head. She could only get glimpses beyond the left side, but she could tell they would be traversing a completely different environment from yesterday. The Ascarlin Mountains seemed to stretch on like the Rockies, and the air already felt more arid. Remembering Paquxa's hair, Temperance knew this was most likely where the shadow naga was for moths at a time.

"This is also where Milia's previous deployment was, and those harpies we keep encountering…it's likely that they were the same ones constantly pestering the miners here," Temperance thought aloud.

"And she said they suddenly vanished one day," added Booth. "Milia was actually unnerved by that. Considering we now know why the harpies up and left, she had good reason to be."

"Well, you folks can have all the harpies you want. It's the sap with the ice magic I'm after," came a wicked, teasing voice from below. Zycra flew up from Jora's shoulder and past Exona's pocket. "Hey Exona, you were looking a little winded back there. Time to switch."

"If you insist, Zycra. Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan, brace yourselves," said Exona. Temperance turned her head to get a better look. Once more, the handoff was underway. Temperance saw Zycra enlarge herself, and then the succubus slid her hands under Jora's shoulders. Exona let go once Jora was secure, then took her two passengers from her coat pocket. She flew down to Zycra's head as she shrank down. They touched down on Zycra's head when she was at Temperance's height, and they could easily grasp Zycra's horns for support.

"Ahhh, feels good to give the wings a rest," said Exona as she sat down on Zycra's head.

"I heard that. Is that your way of saying I'm fat?" demanded Jora.

Exona ignored Jora and leaned against one of Zycra's horns. Booth, predictably, looked anxious every time Zycra took over. He was getting used to being around a demon, Temperance supposed, but relying on one at such altitudes would unnerve anyone.

Booth decided to occupy his mind with something else. "So Exona, let's go over this again. What's this group that's probably in cahoots with Garrardo's factions?" he asked, raising his voice to be heard over the roaring wind and Zycra's beating wings.

"They're a militia group called the Spetz, operating out of the southeast Ascarlin Mountains," said Exona. "Nekos and humans and elves, soldiers and mages and engineers, their group has grown considerably from what I understand, and they operate like a well-oiled machine. Plus, they have two predators on their side."

"But how did the Spetz get started? Who started the group?" asked Temperance.

Exona searched her memory for a moment. "I think his name is Yuri Nikalavich."

"Nikalavich?" Booth repeated.

"Why, Booth? Do you know that name?" asked Temperance.

Booth shook his head. "I'm not sure. It _DOES_ sound familiar."

"Well, that didn't take much longer. This looks like the spot Subeta said she last saw Nikita," said Zycra, her voice booming. The succubus's wings beat even harder to steady her descent. Moments later, from the way Zycra's body jostled, Temperance knew she had touched down.

Temperance saw Jora stumble away and fall to our fours, panting heavily. Temperance looked down from Zycra's head. The environment was just as Hodgins predicted: the edge of an ancient mountain range, with surrounding forests considerably less lush than the jungles they ventured through yesterday.

Temperance took a deep breath as Exona lowered her and Booth to the ground. Upon touching down, she inspected the ground. At once, she noticed what could only be described as imprints left by an enormous spider. And even for a spider so massive, it must have struck the ground with considerable force, upturning the rather rocky soil.

Exona noticed the same thing. "Nikita…she was definitely here. Hopefully, we can find a way to track a jumping dridder, because…"

A scream from Jora cut Exona off, making the three of them look up. Jora was stomping around, letting out screams of fury and confusion. Only when she stayed still for a moment…Temperance finally saw it. Around her midsection, binding Jora's arms to her sides, were thick, white cords. Spider's silk.

"Zycra, hurry up and burn this crap off of me!" Jora demanded, in a panic. "Get this…"

Again, it happened before anyone knew what was going on. A purple, grey and black blur shot out from the adjacent forest and slammed into Jora, pinning her to the ground.

The dridder…she was far shorter than the usual predator. She couldn't have been any taller than fifty feet! Yet she had Jora pinned. Before Jora could throw Nikita off, she produced a curved knife at least ten feet long. Temperance feared Jora was about to join her list of murder victims, but Nikita then flipped the knife around, striking Jora's neck with the handle's base instead.

Jora convulsed, and Temperance could hear the crackle of electricity over her scream. The knife had a built-in taser. Jora suddenly stopped twitching and fell still. The dridder stood triumphantly over her fallen victim. "The supremely awesome Nikita, one! Clumsy-ass giantess, zero!" she cried with glee as she danced a jig over her captive, acting very much like a giddy teenager.

"So that's Nikita," muttered Booth. Unlike Noxcia, Nikita's spider half was quite fuzzy, sporting patterns of black and greyish-brown fluff. She had long, brown hair, her bangs flowing over the huge goggles on her forehead. Unlike most predators, she had some clothes: a purple T-shirt and a belt that had her knife's sheath. Another telling feature was her tattoos: a red fang under both eyes, and a band of triangles on both upper arms. A predator clearly influenced by human friends.

"And I'll even the score," spat Zycra, who Nikita had apparently ignored. "Or did you not see the supremely awesome fire demon read to…_ACK, NOT AGAIN_!"

Looking back up to Zycra, Temperance froze as she saw a huge blast of turbid mist rush past Zycra. A moment later, the succubus toppled over, forcing Temperance, Booth and Exona to run. The tremor from Zycra's body crashing to the ground knocked them off their feet.

Coughing from the kicked-up dust, Temperance stood and looked up. A different predator was now looming over the fallen succubus. Again, she was short for a giant predator, scarcely bigger than Nikita. Her skin was an eerie shade of icy sky-blue, and her long hair was like crystalline, blueish ice. There was a pink-and-red striped ribbon around her forehead, which also went down and wrapped across her breasts and her waist. Temperance could see a little bit below her waist. A naga's belly scales.

"The name's Aniya, and I don't like you very much," she said flatly, without the slightest hint of emotion.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Felarya character credits:

Crisis, Anna Demorah, Temi, Léa, Lily, Belletia, Melany, Subeta, Aya, Frerik Mezzus, Alastazia Lesona, Zil and Gramon Baltazhar belong to Karbo

Milly, Isham, Elia, Calina, Lucilya, Yemic, Jissy, Roshan, Ajab, Tina, Joanna, Tan and Pal Sebrit belong to FrenchSnack

Remus vir Patstriker, Xanthe, Ciel and Meringue belong to NickInAmerica

Jora Fenderen, Jade and Tanny belong to Ravana3K

Nikita and Aniya belong to Tora044

Katrika and Velvet belong to Zoekin3

Milia Moonleith and Zycra Zordford belong to vaderaz

Seliky Serela belongs to kikijonson

Fiona belongs to rcs169

Noxcia belongs to turboman500

Kai Roga Mayin belongs to JiroKatsu

Exona, General Garrardo, Paquxa, Imkza and Shandra belong to yours truly, Grey-X


	11. The Answers in Ascarlin

Dynamic Equilibrium

a Bones/Felarya crossover

Chapter 11: The Answers in Ascarlin

8-11-2013

by Greyman

Disclaimer: Bones and all related characters are the property of 20th Century Fox. Felarya is the creation and property of Karbo, and all associated characters are the property of their respective creators.

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The weight of Aniya's cold stare rooted Temperance to the spot. The harpies during their last attack…they had lost all their passion, lacked any vituperation. But Aniya's emotionless gaze wasn't induced by any mind control, as far as Temperance could tell.

The cerulean-skinned naga loomed over Zycra's still form, her gaze still freezing her and Booth in place. On top of that, some chilly mist washed over Zycra, permeating the air around them. Both now felt frozen both physically as well as mentally.

However, Aniya made no other move. Temperance expected another blast of icy air meant for them, but it didn't come.

Whatever Aniya's reasons for holding back, Exona saw that as an opening. "As soon as I go full-sized and engage Aniya, take cover," Exona hissed at Temperance and Booth through gritted teeth. "There's still Nikita to deal with over there, and to avoid her, you'll need…"

"To put your hands in the air, humans," came a sharp voice from behind them. "As for you, fairy, hands together, get down on your knees with said hands over your legs, and lay face-down. This is your only warning: if you try growing, we'll rip you to shreds before your skin becomes bulletproof."

Temperance whirled around. Several soldiers with uniforms that blended perfectly with the mountain forests had moved in. The closest one, probably the one commanding them to stand down, was a female neko. A male soldier beside her looked human, but had pointed ears. An elf? All of them brandished assault rifles eerily similar to the P90, and Temperance was fully aware of that firearm's sheer power. Naturally, so did Booth. She heard and sensed her partner's hands fly up. Temperance also heard the rustling of fallen leaves near Exona. The fairy took their threat seriously.

Soon, the three of them were surrounded. The soldiers were unperturbed by the icy mist Aniya generated. They remained stonily silent, keeping their weapons fixed on the trio. It was Aniya who broke the silence, her frosty voice casting a pall far worse than her mist. "Just who are you three? Why did you come here, escorted by a demoness from Hell?" Her voice made it plain that the ice naga would tolerate no nonsense.

So naturally, Booth fired back with a flippant retort. "'A demoness from Hell'?" he repeated. "Is there any other kind?"

Aniya's hands clenched into fists. Frost formed on her fingers, and Temperance feared the worst. But Aniya kept her emotions in check…assuming she had any. "Who are you three?" she repeated frostily. "I will not ask again."

"We're conducting a murder investigation. Forensic evidence led us to believe an accomplice of the murderer has been in this part of the Ascarlin Mountains for months," Temperance replied truthfully, wanting to at least placate Aniya for the moment. She instantly wondered if revealing that much information was a blunder.

"A murder investigation, you say? That implies there's actually law in Felarya other than the law of the jungle," spat the elvish soldier.

"Isn't this a forested mountain region?" Booth asked delicately.

"Booth, you're really not helping any," Exona muttered dejectedly from her bent-over position, her voice muffled.

"If someone you know was killed, the Spetz had no part in it," said Aniya coldly. "The Spetz are not exactly mercenaries for hire."

Temperance glowered up at Aniya, miffed by her claims of innocence. The evidence still suggested that Aniya was involved somehow, but firing off that accusation would get them nowhere. As it was, with Jora and Zycra incapacitated, and armed soldiers hovering over Exona, their situation looked hopeless. _If we can distract these soldiers, even for a second, that could afford Exona the time to shrink herself, fly off, and strike back,_ Temperance realized. _We just have to stall long enough, so I can figure out how I can…_

But whether it was intentional or not, Zycra had that covered. The succubus grunted and flexed the wing not pinned down under her fallen form. A shadow fell over them, and many of the soldiers briefly looked up.

That gave Exona her opening. In a second or two, she shrank out of sight. Realizing their blunder, the soldiers opened fire at the ground, but it was too late. Temperance swore she could hear the faint buzzing of Exona's tiny wings over the gunfire. She soon reappeared, enlarging herself to grapple one soldier from behind, then throw him at another. Exona dwindled away again to evade a hail of bullets, flying toward the two downed soldiers as she shrank. When she grew again, Exona darted through confused soldiers, flying right toward Temperance and Booth.

All three of them shrank away once Exona grabbed hold of them. Temperance clung to Exona's hand for dear life as bullets the size of basketballs whizzed past them. But it only lasted a few seconds; Exona dove behind a large rock, several hundred yards away from Aniya and Nikita, and the three of them grew back to human size. "Here, I swiped those soldiers' weapons and several ammo clips," said Exona, handing Temperance and Booth assault rifles. "Use them to keep these Spetz off your back, while I go deal with Nikita and Aniya."

"Maybe we can help," said Booth. "Can't you, oh I dunno, enlarge all three of us to predator-size?"

"And make you _bigger_ targets? Assault rifles can't be the only weapons these folks brought to the party. The Spetz are savvier than you think, easily rivaling the Isolon Fist," said Exona sternly. "Plus, we have to play this right, what with Zycra and Jora so vulnerable. A…surgical strike is needed. And if what I heard about Nikita is true…"

Before Booth could protest, Exona darted out from behind cover, just as some Spetz advanced. Some fired up at Exona, but she swiftly flew past them, heading right for Nikita. The dridder had leapt over to get closer, the tremor almost making Temperance drop her weapon as she laid down suppressing fire.

Exona flew right at Nikita, and collided with her belly. Temperance and Booth had to duck behind the rock to avoid a hail of lead. It wasn't long before they had an opening to return fire. When Temperance sprang back out to shoot back, she was greeted with the sound of…boisterous laughter? She spared a glance over at Nikita, who had doubled over and was thrashing around, laughing. Exona had clung to her belly, and was…tickling her!?

"Oh no, no no no no no, p-p-p-please…STOP IT, OH HO!" cried Nikita in between bouts of tearful laughter. Suddenly, Exona did indeed stop. Surprised, Nikita sprang back up, panting and shaking. And with that opening, Exona flew in and grabbed Nikita's goggles. With all her strength, Exona pulled them back, a good thirty feet or so. "Uh-oh…" was all Nikita got out before Exona let go. The goggles snapped back onto Nikita's face and knocked her flat on her back, putting her down for the count.

Exona wasn't given any time to celebrate. The next time Temperance jumped out from behind cover, Aniya had moved in. She was already sending out blasts of ice magic at Exona, who stayed at human size, ducking and swerving around Aniya's attacks. Some passed frighteningly close to Exona, possibly within inches. The fairy kept on flying around the ice naga to frustrate her, no doubt to keep Aniya from going back to use Zycra and Jora as hostages.

Getting fed up with Exona's antics, Temperance saw Aniya ready her biggest blast yet. But just as Aniya was about to fire, Zycra reappeared, back at human size, and knocked Exona aside. The wintry blast engulfed Zycra instead. Temperance's eyes widened, fearing for the succubus. That almost let the Spetz get a bead on her, but thankfully, Booth grabbed Temperance and shoved her back behind cover.

"Watch it out there, Bones!" Booth chided. "Damnit, can't believe the worst threat today is coming from other people our size, not predators."

Temperance said nothing, simply reloading her gun and listening for another opportunity to return fire. Moments later, however, she heard something no one expected. "Hey, boy and girls, we can all cease fire and be friends now!" came Zycra's singsong voice. "It's official: our little ice naga here ain't the one we've been looking for. So we can all kiss and make up and be the bestest of friends now!"

Temperance kept her back to the rock and her hands on her rifle, nonplussed. It was Booth who braved a peek first. "Oh come on…Bones, take a look at this," he told Temperance.

Keeping a firm grip on her weapon, Temperance cautiously stepped out from behind cover. Zycra had enlarged to her maximum height again, easily more than double what Aniya's height had been from head to ground. The succubus hugged Aniya close with one arm, and with her free hand, pinched Aniya's cheek. Aniya's face _STILL_ remained neutral and frosty.

The Spetz had their weapons trained on Zycra now. As Exona said, some had what looked like rocket launchers, perfect for predators but ill-suited for flushing out two lone humans. The Spetz held their fire, since Zycra had Aniya right in front of her. Temperance wondered if that had been Zycra's plan, or if the succubus was just being her usual flippant self.

"Zycra, what's going on!?" Temperance called out to her. "How do you suppose Aniya wasn't responsible for that sneak attack in Tolmeshal Forest!?"

"I did what you do, Boney: set up a sciency experiment…thing," Zycra replied sweetly. "Y'see, Aniya's first blast just surprised me, that's all. So yeah, I just played along, let these Spetz spill some of their guts, and arrange it so Exona could get you and Boothy out of dodge," she went on, answering Temperance earlier question. "But the thing I had to know was…well, could Aniya's magic lay me out while at human size? Just had to wait until Aniya was throwing her weight around again, and see for myself."

"She's learned a lot about science from Hodgins, I see," grumbled Booth. "Too bad it was mostly the wrong lessons, namely complete disregard for laboratory safety…"

Exona hovered high above Temperance and Booth, frowning. "Booth is right! What if Aniya's power _WAS_ enough to put you out for days on end again?" she growled.

"Then you, my spunky little fairy friend, would've kicked their asses on my behalf, right sweetie?" Zycra flashed another teasing grin. Then she nuzzled Aniya's face, who _STILL_ wore a neutral expression. "Now dearie, normally I'd visit unimaginable torment on anyone who'd lob ice magic on me. Still a demon and gotta keep up the rep, you know? But you were just following the Spetz's lead, and oooooh, you're such a scrumptious little morsel, aren't you?" Zycra went on, hugging Aniya tighter.

"Then if it is not anyone in the Spetz that you seek, perhaps a cease-fire can be arranged?" came a new voice, this one a man from among the Spetz soldiers. This one had a distinctive Slavic accent. Temperance turned to the voice. A middle-aged man with rugged, chiseled features, cold brown eyes, and wild but short black hair that had some flecks of grey, he stepped toward Temperance and Booth. "I am Yuri Nikalavich, and I lead the Spetz. We had set up an ambush here, after being warned that a denizen of Hell itself meant to invade our mountain home."

"Would this informant happen to have been a fairy? Short black hair, an imperious air about her, and goes by the name of Imkza?" Temperance asked evenly.

Temperance saw Yuri's eyes widen a little. "Y-Y-Yes. Imkza has been a liaison for another group for some time. We had successful dealings in the past, and saw no reason to doubt her."

"We have an Isolon Fist battlemage back in the Giant Tree that could give you a dozen or so reasons to doubt Imkza," said Booth testily.

Yuri looked to be an experienced soldier, not taken by surprise easily. Yet Booth's reply made his eyes widen even more. "Isolon Fist in Crisis's lair? There is clearly more going on than the Spetz are aware. Our intelligence gathering clearly needs work."

"That's for sure," spat Exona. "But…if we're going to have a cease-fire or whatever, also clueing us in on what intelligence you've gathered on Imkza would be nice."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sweets scooped the last bits of stewed vegetables from his bowl, made from what Milly provided. He knew it was best to eat his fill now, before leaving the Giant Tree. Even those at the top of the food chain here in Felarya could never be sure when their next meal was, or even if they would eat that day, that much Sweets understood. _No doubt that factors into the willingness of some to eat sapient beings,_ Sweets reasoned.

Of course, where he was going in Felarya, survival was a bit more certain. A bit.

Milia was adamant about returning to Negav as soon as possible. Whether getting back to flush out conspirators or to just get away from the Giant Tree was the bigger motivator, Sweets wasn't sure. He knew, however, that it was too dangerous for her to go back alone. And since his skills as a profiler were still of little use here, he had volunteered. Calina and Remus were also coming. The catgirl's tracking skills could be useful, and Remus was somewhat familiar with the city. Xanthe knew the city even better, but she would be recognized, while Remus had worn a mask on his previous trip, so the Crimson Maiden wouldn't be coming.

Hopefully, the three of them could blend in. A known Isolon Fist battlemage, however, was another matter.

So Milia was seated at Angela's workstation, while Temi and Seliky got to work disguising her. Seliky had whipped up a green dye from some plants further down in the Giant Tree, and Temi was lathering it into Milia's hair. Another concoction of Temi's had already made Milia's skin appear more tanned. Throw in some different clothes, and with any luck, no one in Negav would give Milia a second look.

"This dye better come out when this is all over, Temi. No offense, but green is your color, not mine," Milia muttered as Temi's fingers ran through her hair, kneading the dye in.

Temi chuckled. "My color scheme is the only thing about me you're criticizing? I was expecting more, I'm not sure…_vehemence_ from an Isolon Fist battlemage."

"Just…trying to be civil, out of respect for what Melany did," Milia replied. Sweets listened with interest. No matter how different Negav's cultures were from his own, Sweets could tell Milia held back a lot. Though Milia might have a reputation for a fiery temper and a sharp tongue, she was pragmatic, and knew better than to mouth off at desperately needed allies.

Milia and Lily were easily the most fascinating people he had met in Felarya…that were his size. Fiona and Kai, and how they cast new light on the nature-vs.-nurture debate, still piqued his intellectual curiosity. Plus, if he hadn't known better, Sweets would've sworn Kai had taken a liking to him…at least, before he asked about her age. After that, Kai had muttered something about a swelled-headed naga boy that wouldn't leave her alone…

Though Milia seemed determined not to bring up…sensitive subjects, Temi felt compelled to push the issue. "Just so you know, Milia, I personally…I hardly ever hunt your kind."

"'Hardly ever?'" Milia repeated, sounding dubious.

"Not unless I have to," said Temi, still working the dye in.

"And when, pray tell, would you 'have to'?" Milia asked delicately.

Temi paused. "When I have a patient in desperate need. As for myself…it's only when I have no other option."

"No other option," Milia repeated evenly. Sweets noticed the slight change in Temi's hand movements. Clearly, she had been expecting something more direct from Milia and had several arguments prepared in her defense. This cold passiveness took Temi by surprise. "Well, that's...admirable, I guess. Too bad some of your fellow fairies don't seem to share your views."

Temi took a step back, taking her hands out of Milia's hair. Whether she was done, or Milia's remark hit home, even Sweets wasn't quite sure. It was Seliky, however, who responded.

"Shandra sure did. You know, the fairy offed by the _true _bad guys all of us are after?" It was Milia's turn to be caught off-guard. "But it's likely her tendency to _NOT _see humans as food led her to fall in with this Garrardo in the first place. Just remember, Milia…at this point, the more voracious a fairy is, the more you can trust her."

Temi frowned at Seliky. "Seliky, that…really doesn't help me here."

"One last thing: stop being so snide about fairies and their culture. Especially when there's things humans back in Negav do that you can't possibly be proud of," Seliky huffed.

Milia had been content to coolly keep her new predator allies at arm's length. Seliky, however…Sweets could tell she was eager to pick a fight. Sweets had to admire how self-assured the girl seemed.

"Alright, little girl, I'll bite," Milia replied. "What happened in Negav that's got you flustered?"

"Oh, I was just abused and beaten by my father on a daily basis is all. No one in the Isolon Fist or the Vishmitals or whatever seemed to care. Too busy with all their political games to care if one little albino girl is suffering day in, day out." Sweets immediately noticed the change in Seliky's demeanor. All this time, Seliky had been cheery and eager to work, but aloof in her own way. Now, his trained eye could spot the inner turmoil burbling to the surface. "So I ran away. I met a certain naga, and I practically_ BEGGED_ her to eat me, I was so tired of it all."

Just like with Anna, Milia's steely resolve melted away. "A naga? Then…how come…"

"Naturally, she refused. And we've been together ever since. Crisis isn't the only naga who's allowed to have a human partner, you know," Seliky shot back. Sweets knew Seliky was on the verge of crying. "So do forgive me if I'm not as concerned as you are about these Negavian power plays. I'm only here because a lot of my friends asked me for help. That's it."

Seliky stormed off, just as Temi was done with the dye. "We're done here, Milia. And…don't take any of that personally. There was a reason Seliky was spoiling for a fight."

Milia still seemed shellshocked. "What in…why would Seliky be gunning for me? Because I'm from Negav?"

"Because, I believe, her father once trained new Isolon Fist recruits. It's no surprise she has no love for your group," Temi explained.

Sweets empathized with Milia. There were convictions the battlemage obviously held fast to, and now they were all being challenged. But at the moment, Seliky worried him more. Walking over to Milia, he put a hand on her shoulder. "Guilt by association…it never leads to sound judgment, and it's especially hurtful when it's used against you. Just something to think about." With that, Sweets took off after Seliky, feeling Milia's confused stare on his back.

Seliky was leaning against the alcove wall, shaking and sobbing. Even that quick explanation had reopened raw wounds. And if anyone could understand what Seliky had gone through…

"Seliky, can I talk to you for a moment?" Sweets asked, trying to strike the right balance between sympathy and strength.

Still sobbing, Seliky slowly turned to Sweets and nodded. Sweets knelt beside Seliky, meeting her blood-red eyes. "It's counterintuitive for a psychologist to say this, but there are others…other humans who know how you feel."

At first, Sweets feared he made a mistake, and Seliky would fume at him and shut him out. Dubiousness just oozed out of her. But then, her eyes widened a little, as if she could sense something in him. "You…you used to get beat as a kid, too?"

Sweets wondered just how Seliky knew he was referring to himself. The kid obviously was as sharp as him, maybe sharper. He nodded, and said, "And both Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth. It helps gives us a…certain perspective."

Sweets had hoped to squeeze in some quick therapy for Seliky before heading to Negav. To put her on the road to healing. But Seliky said nothing else. All she did…was fly at Sweets and hug him, finally letting tears flow. Sweets couldn't think of anything else to do but to hug Seliky back. Maybe, right now…this was all the therapy Seliky needed.

After letting Seliky cry on his shoulder for a good long while, Sweets heard someone approach. "OK, doctor. Hate to break this up, but we need to be off," came a calm, cheery voice. Sweets looked over his shoulder to see Calina and Remus, dressed in what he assumed was common attire in Negav. It was strange seeing Calina wearing so much. What little clothes she wore before…Sweets had the impression it was only for the benefit of her human friends. Remus, meanwhile, also carried some sort of large suitcase. It looked terribly heavy, but while Remus wasn't exactly big, he hefted it around with ease.

Sweets sighed and let Seliky go, then walked back for his disguise. After a few steps, however, something occurred to him. "Hang on, everyone. No one's told me…just _HOW_ are we getting to Negav?"

Calina and Remus looked just as perplexed. Hadn't they thought that far ahead? "Errr, I figured Crisis was giving us a ride, since she couldn't go with Dr. Brennan this time," said Calina.

"Yeah. Wouldn't be the first time she's chauffeured someone to Negav," added Remus.

Sweets wasn't sure how to feel about that. Brennan and Booth…they clearly trusted Crisis now, but there was still that faint air of unease. He knew he shouldn't feel anxious himself, since Crisis had proven herself many times, but still…

Once again, Seliky showed she was sharper than she let on. "Don't worry about Crisis, Dr. Sweets. I took the liberty of arranging a ride." Suddenly, there was an odd sound just outside the alcove. A mix of scraping and slamming. "And I do believe she's arrived.

They walked over to the alcove's entrance, where harpies had attacked the day before. Noxcia and Kai were peering over the edge, the latter's sword drawn. But Kai relaxed as they approached. "Don't worry, everyone. This one wouldn't climb all the way up here to pick a fight."

Curious, Sweets peered out the entrance. Noxcia and Kai backed up, and suddenly, a huge forearm slammed onto the branch. But this arm…it was comparatively smaller than either Kai's or Noxcia's, not to mention had tanned skin. What stood out were the jagged, scaly spikes, which dug into the tree bark…

With the spikes anchoring her, their new arrival pulled herself up. She had shoulder-length brown hair, with locks at each side of her temples done up with green wraps. Also, her eyes were peculiar. Her right eye was purple, but her left was green. By human standards, she looked quite young, and despite her potentially predatory nature, she had an air of innocence. It was not surprising Seliky could bond with such a being.

Aurora swung her hips over the side, and a brown-scaled, spiked tail that reminded Sweets of a tapeworm's head lashed out, anchoring her further. "So, Seliky, is this the naga you met after…leaving Negav?" Milia asked as she walked up.

"Yep. Say hello to Aurora, everyone," said Seliky, sounding a little cheerful again.

Sweets looked down at Aurora again. In stark contrast to Seliky's renewed vigor, Aurora was scared out of her mind.

"Hmmm, doesn't look like she's fond of heights," Calina observed.

"She's an_ EARTH_ naga. Of course she'll want to stick close to the ground," Seliky shot back.

Aurora quivered as she latched onto to the branch with her other arm, finally pulling herself up. Kai and Noxcia backed up and gave her room as the naga crawled over to the alcove, peering inside. Upon laying eyes on Seliky, Aurora's mood immediately brightened. "Seliky, I was wondering when you let me see what you're working on this time!" Then she looked to the others, now confused. At one point, Sweets noticed her left eye was shut. Turning back to Seliky, she asked, "Where's the rest of the crowd? Vu, Exbella, Z3…"

"Right now, I'm running with an entirely new crowd," said Seliky.

Looking back to everyone else, Aurora said, "It must be important, if it includes someone in the Isolon Fist."

Milia's face fell. "Oh, so much for this bulky dress and traveler's cloak disguising me! Someone saw through it before we even _HEADED_ back to Negav!"

"Oh, calm down," chided Aurora. She shut her left eye again, and her purple iris seemed to glow. "Looking through my right eye lets me see in infrared. You've still got armor on underneath, which gives off a signature I've only seen in Isolon Fist gear."

"She's cool, Aurora," Seliky said quickly. "She saved Melany's life last night." Aurora still looked dubious, but said nothing else to the battlemage. "But yeah, these four need a lift to Negav, and yesterday. Plus, they might need a friendly predator to hang close to the outskirts."

Aurora sighed. "The things you and I get into, Seliky," she muttered as she lowered her head underneath the lip of the alcove. Taking the hint, Milia, Remus and Calina jumped on. Sweets hurried back to get his own change of clothes and extra supplies, then ran back to Aurora. As soon as he jumped on, Aurora slowly made her way back down, clinging onto the bark with those retractable forearm scales for dear life.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Booth and Bones sat across a table in the Spetz's conference room, which oversaw pretty much their entire base. An ancient, underground temple retrofitted into the Spetz's base of operations, Booth had been told the whole operation began when Yuri Nikalavich and Nikita met many years ago. They found this temple, and over the years, their ranks steadily grew, even bringing in another predator. There were several levels to this base, along with a huge, open path through it that Nikita herself used to get around. Weapons research and transport, personnel training, vehicle and infrastructure repair…in a way, there was more hustle and bustle than in Negav.

For the first time since arriving in Felarya, Booth felt at home. And he found it comforting, knowing there were so many places in Felarya where humanity could still thrive. And seeing so many nekos and elves with his own kind did nothing to diminish that pride. Rather, it was further proof that humans could overcome their xenophobic, destructive potential and strive for something more.

"As you can see, we have a sizeable operation here," said Yuri. Booth turned from the window to look at the soldier. Now that things had calmed down, Booth had been studying the man intently. There was something…oddly familiar about him.

"But how did you get involved with the Delurans? Or, to be more precise, General Garrardo?" asked Bones.

Yuri let out a heavy sigh. "First of all, after what you've told me…I'm fairly certain Garrardo has gone rogue and is pursuing his own agenda."

"Wouldn't surprise me. It looks like he targeted his own people for predation, and Milia said his partners from Negav and Nekomura were going behind their leaders' backs, too," said Booth.

"So if Garrardo is planning to oust the leadership at the Deluran base, just like how his Negavian allies plan to overthrow the Ps'isol Magiocrats, do you have any idea how he'll do it?" Bones asked hopefully.

"I'm afraid not, Dr. Brennan," said Yuri. "However, I am certain that those harpies you two have encountered have some part in it. They were the reason for our dealings with Garrardo and Imkza."

"What do those harpies have to do with this?" demanded Booth.

"That particular flock, spearheaded by that purple-haired one…many months ago, they were hunting heavily in this area. It was getting more and more perilous to carry out certain operations," Yuri explained. "After a while, the Deluran general and his fairy friend…they arrived and offered to help. They said they could make it so that harpy flock never hunted in these parts again."

Booth let this sink in for a moment. "And…did Garrardo and Imkza deliver?"

"Naturally, I was skeptical. Isolon Fist units guard miners just north of here, and even _THEY_ could never fully deter the harpies," said Yuri. "Yet, within a month, the amount of harpy attacks on my forces dwindled to almost zero."

"But why did Garrardo and Imkza come to you in the first place?" asked Bones. "What did they want in return?"

Yuri said nothing. Instead, he pushed his chair back and reached under the table for something. He produced a large jar, which had to be held in both hands. The way light refracted through the glass, the texture…Booth had seen this before. "Fairy glass?"

"It was their request that the payment be delivered in the jars Imkza provided. Luckily, I had a few spares, and decided to use them," said Yuri.

Booth and Bones looked at its contents. A clump of teal-blue crystals that jutted out everywhere like spikes, with glowing white veins snaking in between the protrusions. The mineral was translucent, and the way the faint light in the conference room shone through it…it was almost hypnotizing.

"Ascarlin, the rare, precious and potentially dangerous mineral that is mined by Negavians further north," Yuri explained. "But normal ascarlin has red bands woven through it. This variety…it is a new discovery, and only we Spetz know of where to find it, and how best to extract it."

Booth gazed into the clump of gems a bit longer before looking up. "So Imkza and Garrardo wanted this special variety of ascarlin? How much are we talking?"

"By Earth measurements, at least thirty kilograms," said Yuri.

"By Earth measurements?" Bones repeated. "How did you…wait a second. Your facial features, that accent…you truly do hail from Earth's Slavic regions."

A faint smile formed on Yuri's lips. "I was wondering when one of you would discover the truth," he said slyly. "Yes, I once served the Soviet Union, and fought in Afghanistan, many many years ago. Actually, I expected your partner to figure it out first. Seeing how he fought, how he dealt with being under siege…only someone else who endured such Hell on Earth would stay so composed."

Booth was taken aback. He knew others from Earth had made their way to Felarya, but he never expected to find a fellow soldier who endured what he had. Even if he was a soldier who, back then, fought for the opposing side. "So you served back when Russia had intervened in Afghanistan. Did you get dumped in Felarya before the Soviets pulled out?"

Yuri nodded. "After making it on my own for a few days in the forests around the mountains, I met Nikita, and with her, I built a new life here. Found a new purpose. It is sad, though, to learn the Americans later made the same mistakes in Afghanistan that Mother Russia did. But I suppose right now, that's neither here nor there."

A soldier from decades ago, from a different political era…and here Yuri Nikalavich sat, still looking to be in his prime, undertaking a new mission of his own choosing. And Booth doubted Yuri wanted to return to Earth, what with his new army being here in this inhospitable land. Booth resigned himself to the fact that he would never be _NOT_ surprised by what Felarya threw at him.

Bones, however, had other things on her mind. "What does normal ascarlin do? And what did General Garrardo want with this new variety?"

"Ascarlin is typically used in magical artifacts and weapons, to enhance their output. But this variety…it's quite vexing. When fashioned into gems that can be inserted into such tools, this new ascarlin seems ill-suited to project power. Rather, it seems ideal for focusing power inward. I confess, what General Garrardo would want with thirty kilos of it, I haven't the faintest clue," said Yuri.

Bones was still having trouble grasping the concept of magic, given how all this information was taking a while to digest. "Have often do you have contact with Garrardo and Imkza?" Bones went on.

"Until today, it had been several weeks since either of them came to us. Our deal had long since been finished," said Yuri. "Then Imkza arrived and told this blatant lie about the succubus. I hope you can forgive us for rashly acting out of fear."

"Oh trust us, you're not the first one Imkza's suckered into doing her dirty work," said Booth.

"In any case, now that I have an inkling of her true motives, I would like to help," said Yuri. "However, I cannot commit any personnel at the moment, especially not Nikita or Aniya."

"That's OK, because right now, we're not sure of our next move ourselves," said Booth.

"Then I _can_ help," said Yuri brightly. "I overheard Imkza say that she had to head back to the Misty Glade, which is only a few dozen kilometers to the west of these mountains. Perhaps they have other operations there."

"The Misty Glade. Didn't Anna say a friend of hers found a Deluran half-track vehicle over there?" Booth asked Bones.

"Then a closer look may be worth our while," Bones replied.

"Just one question before you go: do you have no weapons or equipment of your own? I noticed Exona needed to steal weapons for you," Yuri pointed out.

"It's not like there were any weapons of our own in the Jeffersonian for Jora's friends to steal," Booth said dejectedly. "And Bones used up all the rounds for my handgun fighting that slug girl."

Yuri vehemently muttered something in Russian that somehow didn't get translated. "These predators…they expect the impossible from you, and can't even give you the equipment needed for your own survival? Time to fix that." Yuri stood up and walked to the window, sliding it open. Leaning out of it, Yuri shouted, "Lapochka! Go to weapons and equipment storage, and bring back standard gear for long-term survival missions."

Booth wondered just who this 'Lapochka' was, but a few minutes later, Nikita's huge face appeared on the other side of that window. She smiled at them, her humiliating defeat at Exona's hands obviously forgotten. "Here you go, guys! Everything you need to kick asses and take names in Felarya!" the dridder cried cheerfully. Her mammoth hand reached into the conference room, dropping several crates inside. Yuri flipped them open, revealing more of those assault rifles, smaller firearms, rocket launchers, a variety of grenades, climbing gear, serrated survival knives, body armor, water canteens and ration cases, and a variety of other gear.

Yuri had a point: their predator 'friends' had left them woefully underequipped outside of the Giant Tree. Booth smiled wickedly. This would help even the odds, should their predator escort get themselves incapacitated yet again.

"Again, I hope this makes up for our egregious error today," said Yuri. "And I fervently hope you stop General Garrardo."

"Why should you be concerned about what General Garrardo does now?" Bones asked bluntly. "His plans involve Negav and his homeworld of Delurah. It's doubtful the Spetz would be affected if he succeeds."

Yuri arched an eyebrow. "Oh no, Dr. Brennan? It is the Ps'isol Magiocrats that deploy the Isolon Fist to the mines in the north. Even if they never deterred harpies, they do make many other predators think twice about hanging around this region. It is to the Spetz's benefit that the Isolon Fist maintains their presence."

Yuri may not have realized it, but Booth could tell that Bones felt chastised for missing something so obvious.

"But there is still another reason," Yuri went on. "Even after the harpies vanished, I still did not trust General Garrardo fully. Oh, he seemed amicable enough. Heaped endless praise on me, my troops, and our operations here. But I always sensed a cold, calculating air to him. As if he was trying to figure out the best way to absorb the Spetz into his own operations. And after what you two have revealed…the Spetz cannot aid you directly, but it's probably also to our benefit that Garrardo be thwarted."

Booth simply nodded, a mutual understanding between them. Long ago, he and Yuri would have been enemies, fighting for rival superpowers. That was all in the past, but in many ways, they were both still soldiers. And both had their missions. Yuri had a responsibility to the Spetz, and Booth had a responsibility to Bones.

And no giant man-eating she-beasts, or the renegade general controlling them, would make him fail that responsibility.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Five more bodies. Five more clear cases of a fatal stab wound through the abdomen. And documents which, after figuring out how to read them, clearly stated the other eight died in the same manner.

"So here's the million-dollar question: who's good enough to off thirteen people in a city full of magic users and super-soldiers, head hundreds of miles north to off a fairy and then be back in time for pizza?" Camille asked no one in particular.

The coroner was done sawing open the fallen Vishmital's skull, and carefully removed what was left of his brain. Everything other intact organ was already removed, every other bit of potential forensic evidence isolated.

Suddenly, Camille felt envious of Hodgins. At least he had those damn fairies flying around Felarya, fetching him samples to make a database with. Getting DNA on each and every organism in Felarya was a task completely beyond them. What good were any tests for DNA if she had little to compare results to?

_And why are we doing all this in the first place? Oh yeah, because someone Dr. Brennan once owed a favor had to get all gigantified and chummy with a bunch of man-eating she-monsters,_ Camille thought, unable to stop herself from making a sarcastic scowl. _I could be spending more time with Michelle, but nooooooooo. I'm doing tox screens on fairy wings and meddling in politics of a city-state on an alien world. And who knows what kind of half-assed excuse Caroline fed Michelle and everyone else's families…_

Sighing, Camille gathered up the samples Hodgins would have better luck with. For better or worse, at least he and Angela had their child with them. She pulled off her respirator mask, threw it angrily to the alcove floor, then headed for Hodgins's workstation.

No catgirls or little people were hanging around this time. Hodgins was by himself, glancing over what looked like results from the mass spectrometer. It took him a moment to realize Camille was there. "Oh, hey boss. We just got the results from the swab of Shandra's ribs and vertebrae," he said quickly.

"Don't be so jumpy. It's not like I carry any authority when I'm working at the pleasure of…predators," said Camille.

Hodgins sighed. "It's getting to you, too?"

Camille looked up. From his workstation, Anna could be seen fiddling with something. And there was another naga they were unfamiliar with: a shorter, younger-looking one with shoulder-length brown hair. She hovered close to Anna, looking quite smitten, but Anna seemed determined to ignore her as best she could and keep working. "Well, it's clear Anna's one we can trust, but what about that other one? What about Crisis?"

"Well, we got one answer yesterday. Blondie dove into another flock of harpies rather than give up Booth, Brennan and those bodies," Hodgins replied.

Camille frowned. Both Hodgins and Sweets seemed to enjoy playing the Devil's advocate when it was the least convenient. "Still, I know you're flabbergasted by all the plants and bugs here, but I just want to get all this stuff, and us, back to the Jeffersonian. When I left New York for the Jeffersonian, doing forensic work for snake-women wasn't what I had in mind. Please tell me you got something."

Hodgins turned back to his monitor. "Well, it's definitely a metal weapon that was used to stab the victim, not ceramic or any other weird material in Felarya," Hodgins explained. "And it's definitely an alloy, but it's of a bizarre composition, one I've never seen, and none of the metals are ferromagnetic. We got tungsten, tantalum, silver, vanadium…."

A deafening thunk made Hodgins and Camille look up. That huge generator thing that Anna could fit in her hand…she had dropped it out of shock, letting it roll in the alcove a little. Camille and Hodgins stared up into those huge, yellow eyes, which betrayed confusion and…a little fear?

"What did you say?" Anna demanded. "What you swabbed from those ribs, it has tungsten, tantalum, silver and vanadium!?"

"Yeah, the mass-spec doesn't lie," said Camille, a little suspicious. "Why, does that combination of metals mean something?"

"Oh yes. That's the alloy used most often in Deluran weapons," replied Anna darkly.

"Well, it's not like we needed more evidence that the Delurans were mixed up in this," said Hodgins.

Anna's face suddenly became unreadable. _She's from Delurah,_ Camille suddenly remembered. _Can Anna really be trusted 100%? Can anyone in Felarya be?_ Eyes narrowing, Anna replied, "It's still odd, Deluran weapons being given to a mole of Garrardo's in Negav. Why would…wait a minute. Tell me, is there any evidence of oxidation?"

Hodgins looked to Camille, as if asking for direction. Frowning, Camille said, "You heard the big electric snake girl. Figure out if those particulates rusted up."

Hodgins quickly looked back to the monitor, squinting. "None whatsoever. Is that significant somehow?"

"Very. Anna always said those weapons her people use…they rust up really fast in Felarya," said that naga that was hovering around them.

"Katrika's right. For the longest time, Delurah's most frequently used alloys corroded insanely fast in Felarya's air, and we were never quite sure as to why," said Anna. "It looks like someone in Garrardo's inner circle found a way around that."

"Hang on a second. You mean to tell me that your government sent troops into Felarya for years with weapons with a pitifully short shelf life!?" Hodgins asked, incredulous.

Anna's eyes narrowed even more. "That's what happens when you've got metallurgy companies and weapons manufacturers who can make more money selling said weapons as-is than funding research into fixing the problem. And have the money to buy the politicians making the big decisions for our military."

From the look on Hodgins's face, he had a newfound respect for Anna. He and the naga operated on the same wavelength, more than he'd care to admit.

"But there's still the question of where this gets us," Camille cut in. "Even if the Delurans solved the rust problem, what's the point of making a blade from whoever's operating in Negav?"

Uncomfortable silence fell over the alcove, as no one had a ready answer. It was swiftly broken by a beeping from Hodgins's computer. "Well, Seliky's little jerry-rigging works. We've got communications pumped through our computer systems now."

"Let's hope Dr. Brennan's found more useful answers," grumbled Camille as Hodgins lit some keys.

At once, Brennan's voice rang through the speakers. "Dr. Hodgins, are you there? We need to speak to Anna."

"What's wrong, Dr. Brennan? You need backup or something?" asked Hodgins.

"Not necessarily. It turns out that Aniya and the Spetz weren't working with Garrardo. At least, not directly, and Zycra claims Aniya could not have been the one who assaulted her," said Brennan. "However, their leader may have pointed us in the right direction. We're heading west of the Ascarlin Mountains, to the Misty Glade."

Camille suddenly noticed it was a bit darker in the alcove. Looking up, she gasped a little; Anna had stuck her head inside to listen in. "So how can I help, Dr. Brennan? I rarely venture far from the Giant Tree, and certainly not _THAT_ far."

"Booth remembered your offhand comment about a friend of yours finding something in the Misty Glade. A half-track vehicle, one quite similar to what the Delurans eaten by Paquxa were using."

Anna's eyes widened, the light of realization pouring through them. "Of course!" she cried, so loudly it hurt Camille's ears. She pulled her head out and rummaged through some stuff just beyond her own massive computer.

Within seconds, she returned with the half-track vehicle Katrika found in this Misty Glade. It looked tough, with colors that would let it blend into any forested area, and as it was somewhat bigger than the other ones, could have carried at least a dozen troops. Yet it still fit neatly into Anna's hand. "Got it, Dr. Brennan. I assume you'll want your forensics team to go over every square inch with a fine-tooth comb?"

"Precisely. We have no idea what we'll run into in this Misty Glade. Any information you can provide may be vital," said Brennan. "What about you, Dr. Hodgins? What were the results from the swabs of the ribs and vertebrae?"

"Turns out the murder weapon was made of a special alloy Delurans use for their weapons," said Hodgins. "But it shows no signs of oxidation, which Anna says should happen pretty fast in Felarya's air. We're not sure what it means."

"Hopefully we'll learn more once we reach the Misty Glade. Just see if there are any more answers in that truck," said Brennan, and then the line went dead.

"What a workaholic. I like her," said Anna wryly.

Camille sighed as Anna set the truck down. "So, what about the other ones we recovered?"

"Well, lacking a fully-trained FBI forensics crew, we had to rely on our fairy friends for that. And they didn't find anything noteworthy," said Hodgins. There was no mistaking the mild irritation in his voice. Sending them out to collect his samples was one thing, but having them to actual forensics work without proper training was something else.

"That's not surprising. These probably were Delurans that Garrardo wanted eliminated, and the murders did take place _OUTSIDE _these things," said Camille darkly.

"So let's get cracking and see what's in this one!" came a cheery voice. Anna's annoyed snort echoed all over the alcove. Camille and Hodgins looked up to see Melany fluttering overhead.

"Look hornhead, as you're so fond of mentioning over and over, these sort of machines hold no interest for you," spat Anna. "So go find one that's still moving and get splattered on its windshield."

Melany made a pouty face up at Anna. "Well, we found absolutely nothing useful in those other half-track things, so now I'm curious. What's so special about this one?"

"It's highly probable this one was used by Delurans in league with Garrardo," said Camille as she put on gloves. She tossed a pair to Melany, and glared at her to let it be known she had to do so again. "You did fine investigating the other ones, but this one may be trickier. There's no telling what we'll find, so don't do anything unless we tell you."

If Melany's grimace was to show resentment, it quickly vanished. With a snap, Melany put the gloves on and followed Camille and Hodgins. Stepping up to the back doors, Camille took a deep breath. Why did she have this sudden feeling there was something dangerous inside?

Seeing no point in delay, Camille thrust the doors open. It was a veritable command center inside, with computers and communications equipment. It looked to be made more as a movable research outpost, rather than for long-distance military ops. _Maybe Booth would be a better judge of that,_ Camille reasoned.

The three stepped inside, with Hodgins brushing past to inspect the monitors and instruments. "Hmmm, if there's any data left in these hard drives…Garrardo sounds like he's nobody's fool. There's probably all sorts of failsafes, set to wipe everything clean if someone tries to hack in with brute force."

"I'm quite familiar with Deluran computer systems, in case you've forgotten," came Anna's booming voice. Obviously, she was eavesdropping again. "But you're right. When I make the attempt, I'd better have Seliky and Angela with me."

Melany leaned over one terminal. Her fingers flexed anxiously, no doubt wondering what all the buttons did. "Remember, Melany, no touching anything until we come back with the proper gear," Camille reminded her sternly.

"I heard you the first time!" Melany huffed. "Come on, I'd think helping Milia would make up for that first…indiscretion when you folks showed up."

Camille glared at Melany for a second, but said nothing as she turned away, sighing. How could this fairy think _ANYTHING _could make up for tossing sapient beings down her throat, and doing it so blithely? The sooner they solved this case, the better.

Camille walked past Hodgins, noticing something else. Up against the right wall were several tall tanks. They looked like they stored some sort of gas. And from the look of it, some was still being pumped. Camille followed an array of pipes that traveled up along the ceiling, all the way toward the left side. Nestled in a corner on the left side were smaller tanks, vaguely resembling propane tanks for barbecues.

Melany had walked over. "This is definitely different from the other ones. If this Garrardo guy had this built…looks like it's really important. Important for humans, at least." Her gaze followed Camille's. "So what do you suppose these things are?" she asked, kneeling beside the tanks.

"I have no idea. We'll have to find a safe way to dislodge them, then get inside to study their contents," said Camille. Melany only seemed to half-hear her. At first, she feared Melany would just try yanking one out, but the fairy made no such move. Sighing, Melany stood up, then stared at another blank monitor. She leaned over the terminal with one arm, a quizzical expression on her face. Her skin lightly brushed over what looked like a touchpad mounted into the terminal…

All of a sudden, an alarm klaxon went off the in the truck. Hodgins and Melany stood back up. "Melany, what'd you do!?" demanded Hodgins.

"ME!? I didn't touch anything!" Melany cried indignantly. "Well, I kinda leaned on something over here, but…"

There was a loud pop from the left corner. Camille looked down in horror. Something snapped free from those little tanks. "Everyone, get out! Something's…"

Before anyone could move, a huge plume of opaque, orange gas erupted from the tanks, enveloping the three of them. Their coughing echoed over the plangent hiss of gas. Acting on instinct, Camille reached out to grab Melany by the arm. Hodgins was already running, and Camille was right behind him, dragging Melany. Soon, they clambered out of the truck, coughing and gagging.

"Wha…what the hell was that stuff!?" demanded Hodgins. "It smelled like a mix of…stewed octopus and mowing a lawn with too much damn fertilizer!"

"Been to a Redwings game, I see," quipped Camille. She looked back to the truck and shut the doors. Despite their best efforts, these predators couldn't fully replicate the facilities they needed. They desperately needed biohazard containment. If this gas was toxic… "Well, so far, I'm not feeling any different. What about you, Melany? Melany?"

Only silence answered Camille. Whirling around, she saw Melany standing there on wobbly legs. The fairy looked to Camille, silently pleading, only a pitiful gasp escaping slightly parted lips. Her face, her shoulders…dilated blood vessels puffed out, that same sallow, orange color radiating from within. And Melany's eyes…those twinkling purple eyes now had this orange haze covering them.

Melany collapsed, convulsing and gasping for air. "Oh no…what'd the hornhead do this time!? What's going on!?" Anna demanded.

The commotion drew more fairies. As Camille knelt down to examine Melany, she heard Lily overhead. "What happened to Melany!? What did you do to her!?"

Looking up, Camille saw Temi and Subeta hovering with Lily. "Get back! GET BACK!" Camille ordered, waving her arm. "Whatever this stuff is, it doesn't affect humans…but it's _LETHAL_ to fairies!"

Camille turned back to Melany, and the fairy feebly reached out for her hand. Camille took it and squeezed. That pleading, fearful look in Melany's eyes…Camille found she could take no pleasure in it. What Melany did before…it was all forgotten. All there was now was someone who wanted to work with her, and now desperately needed her help.

And with their limited resources, Camille had no idea how to provide it.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Felarya character credits:

Crisis, Anna Demorah, Temi, Léa, Lily, Belletia, Melany, Subeta, Aya, Frerik Mezzus, Alastazia Lesona, Zil and Gramon Baltazhar belong to Karbo

Milly, Isham, Elia, Calina, Lucilya, Yemic, Jissy, Roshan, Ajab, Tina, Joanna, Tan and Pal Sebrit belong to FrenchSnack

Remus vir Patstriker, Xanthe, Ciel and Meringue belong to NickInAmerica

Jora Fenderen, Jade and Tanny belong to Ravana3K

Nikita, Aniya and Yuri Nikalavich belong to Tora044

Katrika and Velvet belong to Zoekin3

Milia Moonleith and Zycra Zordford belong to vaderaz

Seliky Serela and Aurora belong to kikijonson

Noxcia belongs to turboman500

Fiona belongs to rcs169

Kai Roga Mayin belongs to JiroKatsu

Exona, General Garrardo, Paquxa, Imkza and Shandra belong to yours truly, Grey-X


End file.
